The following appeared in Bloodhorse.com July 14th. It was written by Jeremy Balan.
Multiple grade 1 winner Dortmund, who was retired from racing in April, is back in training at Los Alamitos Race Course, trainer Art Sherman said July 13.
Los Alamitos’ stable records indicate Kaleem Shah’s 2015 Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner arrived at the Cypress, Calif., racetrack June 19. Sherman said the massive son of Big Brown has been going through some “slight training” that includes jogging, but could get a timed workout in “30 days.”
Kaleem Shah’s Dortmund and jockey Martin Garcia, right, hold off Firing Line and jockey Gary Stevens to win the Grade III $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes Saturday, February 7, 2015 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA.
Sherman and Shah did not indicate any specific race targets for Dortmund, but the owner said after some turnout time in Bradbury, Calif., the 5-year-old chestnut “looked like a racehorse again.”
“It wasn’t good timing, because the breeding season was already underway,” Shah said of Dortmund’s retirement in April. “We would have had to wait until next year. He just needed a little time out, it looks like, so he’s doing good now. We have nothing to do until the next (breeding season).
“He just needed some time and was looking good. He looked like a racehorse again. We have no concrete plans. We’ll just see how he reacts to training.”
Shah said there is no breeding deal in place for Dortmund.
“There is a lot of interest, but no (deal yet),” Shah said.
Dortmund raced just twice for Sherman before his retirement was announced—a sixth-place run in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) on grass March 11 at Santa Anita Park and a fourth-place finish in the April 1 Santana Mile on dirt at Santa Anita.
“He’s been so good to us,” Shah said in April. “It’s time to take care of him.”
Prior to his time with Sherman, Dortmund won six stakes (five graded) for trainer Bob Baffert, including grade 1 victories in the Santa Anita Derby and the 2014 Los Alamitos Futurity. He entered the 2015 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) undefeated and as the second choice to Baffert stablemate American Pharoah and finished third at 4-1.