Dortmund Returns Today!

[TMQ]

Glad to see he will be back racing at Santa Anita today. Hoping he can stay healthy and put together a great 4 year old campaign.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/95309/dortmund-makes-return-in-big-bear

[theiman]

Glad to see he will be back racing at Santa Anita today. Hoping he can stay healthy and put together a great 4 year old campaign.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/95309/dortmund-makes-return-in-big-bear

Dortmund has to run against the psycho horse Mystery Train. MT ran Game on Dude(also Baffert) into the ground in the 2014 Pacific Classic.

[BettinBilly]

Glad to see he will be back racing at Santa Anita today. Hoping he can stay healthy and put together a great 4 year old campaign.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/95309/dortmund-makes-return-in-big-bear

Thanks for the link! Best to him and his connections.

[raybo]

Really glad to see him back! I've been a real fan since the Lewis, where he dug in after relinquishing the lead late and came again. Gutsy run!!

However, he hasn't shown that grit much since. Maybe the long layoff will bring that determination back, hope so. On the face of it, he is the overwhelming class in the race, and looks to have the best early speed, but there are a couple of horses in here that can "take it to him" early if they want (Mystery Train and Cat Burglar) so there is the possibility that he won't get the comfortable early lead that many think. I don't know what to think here, every trainer and jockey knows that they cannot let him loose on an easy pace, and he has shown that he has a tendency to run too fast when it's not needed, so maybe they wait to see how fast he's going to run before deciding to engage him early. If indeed he does cut fast fractions alone, that might not result well for him, as Point Piper, Soi Phet and Cat Burglar are better late.

You can't bet Dortmund if you're a value player, but there is some value, especially in the exotics, if you think he'll get a fight or run too fast early, and fade late. Too bad the field is so short, might have been a very good betting race!

I'll just watch it and hope that he is fully back!!! :jump:

[Stillriledup]

Cat burgular never really planned on running.

Right?

[Tom]

Wins easy.

[cj]

Cat burgular never really planned on running.

Right?

Do horses actually make those kinds of plans?

[luisbe]

Do horses actually make those kinds of plans?
Only Mr Ed.

[castaway01]

Do horses actually make those kinds of plans?

Only in small groups in the corner of the stable under a dim light.

[raybo]

3 wide and 3 wide, got a challenge from 2, strolled to the wire and never even saw the whip, much less felt it. Just a good paid workout, 12 seconds furlongs.

Too bad Cat Burglar scratched, might have added some excitement, somewhere.

Winning margin hides Dortmund's dominant class in this one.

[zico20]

This race set him up nicely for the Clark handicap. Good to see him back and hopefully he will dominate as a 4 year old.

[TMQ]

He won for fun, now I am just waiting for Firing Line to make his return. Anyone hear any news about Firing Line?

[SG4]

Unless I'm forgetting someone, this was probably the first 3yo colt of real quality to take on any kind of older horses this year, right? Pretty sad we have to wait until the end of October now to see how the 3yo crop stacks against the elders.

[Track Phantom]

He certainly cruised and looked awesome. But, he beat an extremely weak field. Hard to put the performance in any kind of context.

Having said that, I do believe he might have a monster 4YO year. Baffert indicated he has grown into his massive frame. Will be fun to watch.

[raybo]

He certainly cruised and looked awesome. But, he beat an extremely weak field. Hard to put the performance in any kind of context.

Having said that, I do believe he might have a monster 4YO year. Baffert indicated he has grown into his massive frame. Will be fun to watch.

Yeah, we knew going in that if he was anything like the real Dortmund that field would be woefully outclassed and disadvantaged. He ran a very reserved race, staying wide with no intent to get to the rail. Personally, I like that strategy, running in the 2-3 path, in many races. It just keeps you out of trouble and relatively stress free, especially when there isn't much early speed pressure in the field. Running a stalking trip with Dortmund is something we haven't seen much, and it worked well in this one. Who would have thought that he wouldn't have vied for the lead, especially after the scratch of Cat Burglar, and under rather moderate fractions?

A good re-entry into racing and a decent setup for the Clark. Baffert seems to have his head on straight, regarding Dortmund's 4 yo season. Run some big races, at all kinds of distances. This horse may be able to do about anything he's asked next year. :jump:

[classhandicapper]

It was a weak field he was supposed to handle, but he did it the right way. From here we'll find out if he's going to move forward and become a top older horse next year (assuming the plan is to continue running him). I've always been very high on him.

[raybo]

It was a weak field he was supposed to handle, but he did it the right way. From here we'll find out if he's going to move forward and become a top older horse next year (assuming the plan is to continue running him). I've always been very high on him.

I think the race was good for him. Even though the field was outclassed, winning races is good for the horse. I think when horses are off for a while or lose a couple of races, it can affect them mentally, Bayern being a good example of that opinion. Horses can get in a groove of not putting forth their best effort, because of training processes or from losing races that were not ideal situations for them.

[whodoyoulike]

Does anyone remember what and how Dortmund was injured?

[raybo]

Does anyone remember what and how Dortmund was injured?

I think he had some colic problems and then bruised ribs. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, been a while.