Dortmund will make turf debut in Frank Kilroe Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – Dortmund, the six-time stakes winner, is likely to have his first start for trainer Art Sherman in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita next Saturday.

Sherman said the $400,000 Kilroe Mile has more appeal than the Grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs on dirt on the same day.

“I got a feeling it will be a little easier,” Sherman said of the Kilroe Mile. “I’ve been wanting to try him on grass.”

Owned by Kaleem Shah, Dortmund has never run on turf. Dortmund joined Sherman’s stable on Jan. 1 after Shah and trainer Bob Baffert parted ways. Dortmund has won 8 of 14 starts and earned $1,982,480.

A 5-year-old horse by Big Brown, Dortmund’s biggest win came in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in April 2015. Dortmund was third to Triple Crown star American Pharoah in the 2015 Kentucky Derby.

Dortmund has not raced since finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November. Last year, Dortmund was winless in four starts, including a third behind the Sherman-trained California Chrome in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August and a second to California Chrome in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes in October.

Dortmund has never started in a sprint stakes, and Sherman said a grueling race in the Triple Bend does not appeal to him for the horse’s first start in four months.

“It will be a big strain to go with those speed horses and have him comfortable,” Sherman said.

Both the Kilroe and Triple Bend will have competitive fields.

The list of candidates for the Kilroe includes the graded stakes winners Bal a Bali, Bolo, Conquest Enforcer, Ring Weekend, and What a View.

Bal a Bali worked seven furlongs in 1:26.40 on Friday. A 7-year-old Brazilian-bred, Bal a Bali has not raced since finishing eighth in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita last June. In late 2016, Bal a Bali was sold by Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm to Calumet Farm.

The probable starters for the $400,000 Triple Bend Stakes include Denman’s Call, Kobe’s Back, Masochistic, Point Piper, and Silent Bird.

On Friday, Masochistic worked seven furlongs in 1:27.40. He finished second in the BC Sprint last November but was disqualified from purse money for a steroid positive.