Dortmund sold, will stand in South Korea in 2021

The Korean Thoroughbred industry has built its foundation on American stock, as it is one of the other international jurisdictions with a predilection for dirt racing. While there may be a drop in the number of American-bred young horses racing in Korea in coming years, as that nation, like everywhere else, continues to struggle with the global COVID-19 pandemic, American stallions will continue to play a prominent role in the industry. That continued demand was seen with the recent purchase of multiple Grade 1 winner Dortmund to stand in South Korea beginning in 2021.

Dortmund, who was owned and campaigned by Kaleem Shah, was boarded at Bonita Farm in Darlington, Md., as a U.S. stallion. Bonita confirmed on its Facebook page on Saturday that Dortmund had been sold to South Korean interests. In his three seasons in Maryland, the massive son of Big Brown covered 25, 17, and 13 mares, respectively, according to The Jockey Club's Report of Mares Bred. His first foals will race as 2-year-olds of 2021.

Dortmund rose to prominence by winning the first six starts of his career, including the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity, Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. He finished third in the Kentucky Derby and fourth on a sloppy track in the Preakness Stakes, both times behind Triple Crown-winning stablemate American Pharoah.

Given five months off following the Preakness, Dortmund returned to make eight more starts between October 2015 and April 2017. He won the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes and Big Bear Stakes; he also was second to the champions California Chrome and Beholder in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic in 2016, and second to California Chrome in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes.

Korean buyers played at a reduced level of activity in the yearling and mixed sales in fall 2020 in Kentucky, as the buying bench was dominated by domestic interests due to travel restrictions in various jurisdictions due to the pandemic. In November, the Korea Racing Authority further curtailed that commercial activity, announcing that foreign-bred racing-age purchases acquired after Nov. 15 will not be eligible to be registered to race at Korean racetracks in 2021; their deadline to be registered to race now falls in March 2022.

Korean officials anticipate a lowered demand for racehorses in the immediate future, with the pandemic shifting racing schedules and a reduction in available purse funds also reducing the number of races in the country. The temporary foreign ban is intended to support Korean breeders by pushing buyers to meet their limited demands for stock locally rather than overseas.

Because the ban went into effect in November, yearlings purchased by Korean interests at the 2020 September yearling sales in Kentucky are eligible to race in 2021. However, Korean interests are likely to show reduced buying activity at the 2021 2-year-old and yearling sales as a result. Because the restriction applies only to racehorses, it also does not impact the import of broodmares or stallions, making Dortmund's purchase possible.

The new restriction was in place in Korea prior to a December statement from racetrack executive Belinda Stronach urging Thoroughbred sales to Korea to be curtailed after she reportedly saw a video showing horse slaughter in the country produced by the activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.