Dr. Dorr puts speed in Californian field

ARCADIA, Calif. – Looking to have a hip or knee replaced? Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lawrence Dorr has performed more than 3,500 hip and knee replacements the past decade.

Need to wager on a likely winner Saturday at Santa Anita? Less-renowned gelding Dr. Dorr has won three of his last four starts, including a recent romp that makes him the favorite in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Bob Baffert knows both Dr. Dorrs – person and horse. The horse was named after the man who performed hip-replacement surgery on his wife, Jill, who happens to own the horse. What better way to express gratitude?

“At one time, I thought this horse was going to be a Derby horse, so we named him Dr. Dorr,” Baffert said. “He was excited.”

It turned out Dr. Dorr was not quite Derby caliber. After he won two of seven starts, Baffert gelded him and turned him out.

“I knew I wasn’t going to stand him anywhere, we just wanted to have fun with him,” Baffert said. “I gelded him so he wouldn’t get too heavy. He was sort of a heavy horse.”

Baffert also wanted to have fun teasing his friend, the doctor. “I told [Dr. Dorr] I gelded him because I wanted to hear them say, ‘Dr. Dorr has been gelded since his last race.’ ”

Dr. Dorr returned in December and finished fourth. His next two starts showed why Baffert was high on him early. Dr. Dorr won a fast sprint, then stretched out and won the Santana Mile by four lengths.

“You never know how they’re going to react going long,” Baffert said. “Now he has to go a little bit farther.”

Dr. Dorr should be strongly favored in the Grade 2 Californian, race 5, a 1 1/8-mile dirt race, and figures to be the controlling speed.

The field also includes Soi Phet, a 10-year-old who finished second in his comeback; Full of Luck, a Group 1 winner in Chile trying dirt after a disappointing U.S. debut on turf; The Lieutenant, a sibling to Santa Anita Derby winner Justify; Curlin Road; and Prince of Arabia.

KEY CONTENDERS

Dr. Dorr, by Lookin At Lucky
Last 3 Beyers: 99-99-89

◗ Dr. Dorr has won 4 of 10. He is the speed of the field under jockey Joe Talamo.

Soi Phet, by Tizbud
Last 3 Beyers: 94-93-93

◗ He was claimed for $16,000 in 2013. Since then, Soi Phet has won 12 races, including six stakes. His career total: 13 wins and $891,250 in earnings from 56 starts.

◗ Trained by Leonard Powell, Soi Phet and jockey Kent Desormeaux are likely to be positioned closest to the pacesetter.

Full of Luck, by Lookin At Lucky
Beyer: 81

◗ Jerry Hollendorfer trains Full of Luck, next to last as the favorite in his U.S. debut in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate.

◗ Assistant trainer Dan Ward is optimistic Full of Luck will improve switching surfaces.

“All his works have been on dirt; he trains great on dirt,” Ward said. “Flavien Prat has worked him and says he seems like a dirt horse because he doesn’t have that turn of foot.”