Dr. Dorr has no problem with Santana Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. - Two years after a failed attempt in a one-mile race, Dr. Dorr was tried at the same distance in Saturday’s $75,460 Santana Mile at Santa Anita.

This time, Dr. Dorr had things in his favor: he led throughout in a slow pace to win by four lengths. Ridden by Joe Talamo, Dr. Dorr ($4.20) set early fractions of 24.01 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.16 for a half-mile, leading by 1 1/2 lengths.

“I didn’t think we’d go that slow,” Talamo said. “He’s a class horse. From the three-eighths pole, I gave him his head. In the last eighth, I let him coast in. He wasn’t tired. I think he can go farther.”

Sent off favored in a field of four, Dr. Dorr was timed in 1:37.07 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 99. The Lieutenant, seventh in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 19, finished second and was followed by Clear the Mind and Cat Burglar.

The Lieutenant raced on the rail in the final quarter-mile and was directly behind Dr. Dorr in early stretch.

“We had a little traffic trouble trying to get out and get a clear path to run in, but other than that it set up perfect,” jockey Drayden Van Dyke said. “He had every chance.”

Only four ran. Air Vice Marshal was scratched Saturday morning.

Dr. Dorr, a 5-year-old gelding by Lookin at Lucky, has won 4 of 10 starts and earned $168,320 for Jill Baffert and her husband, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Dr. Dorr was fourth in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar in 2015, his only previous stakes appearance.

Dr. Dorr ran three times as a 3-year-old in 2016, including an eighth-place finish at a mile at Del Mar that summer, and three times last year. He won an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option at 6 1/2 furlongs on a wet-fast track on March 2 in his first start since New Year’s Eve.