ArcadiaArcadia — Turns out getting away from California Chrome wasn’t the answer for Dortmund.
Previously defeated only in races won by American Pharoah and California Chrome, Dortmund was no match Friday for a horse who hadn’t won a race in more than 19 months.
Tamarkuz, a 6-year-old who raced in England and Dubai until last year, earned his first victory in the United States by roaring past Gun Runner and Dortmund in the stretch to post a 3½-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita.
Gun Runner was second, a neck in front of fellow 3-year-old Accelerate, a 42-1 long shot who edged Dortmund for third. The winner returned $25.80 after covering the mile in 1:35.72.
The 3-5 favorite, Dortmund took the lead from Runhappy with about 3 furlongs remaining, but he was ed only a furlong later by Gun Runner (who was third in this year’s Kentucky Derby). He wound up 4¼ lengths behind the winner.
“We were hoping to go to the front and didn’t, but got into a good position,” Dortmund trainer Bob Baffert said. “It was a pretty hot pace. He looked great down the backside. When I saw the fractions, I got a little worried. The track is demanding today. He just didn’t bring it like he has before.”
Jockey Martin Garcia had won 7-of-9 starts on Dortmund, losing only to American Pharoah in last year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He hadn’t been on the 4-year-old colt since but got another chance Friday after Dortmund lost three straight races this year to California Chrome.
Garcia said he didn’t feel Dortmund was going that fast; the colt was a length behind Runhappy after a half-mile in 45.37 seconds.
“But I had to move a little earlier than I wanted to,” Garcia said. “… The horse outside of me (Gun Runner) was pushing me.”
It was the 23rd Breeders’ Cup win for Mike Smith, more than any other rider, and the third for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who also considered running Met Mile winner Frosted in Friday’s race.
“Now all the media knows why Frosted’s running in the Classic,” McLaughlin said. “We thought we had one good enough to win the Mile.”
Who are you wearing?
Art Sherman, California Chrome’s trainer, and his son, Alan, won’t be combing through their closets Saturday wondering what to wear for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Both will be wearing “lucky” suits.
“I’ve got a special suit that I wore when Chrome won the Dubai World Cup,” Art Sherman said. “I’m definitely going to wear it again Saturday.”
Alan Sherman said he’s worn the same blue suit for each of Chrome’s six victories this year.
“It’s the only time I ever have a chance to wear a suit,” he said.
Notable
— Nyquist was injured a few days ago and retired, but the Kentucky Derby winner’s human team of owner Paul Reddam, trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez still enjoyed the first day of the Breeders’ Cup. They won the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile Fillies with 10-1 long shot How About Zero ($22.60) and the $200,000 Twilight Derby with 36-1 bomber Frank Conversation ($75.80).
— In Friday’s other non-Cup stakes, favored Scuba ($6) romped in the $200,000 Marathon at 1¾ miles for his third win in a row, all in races of at least 1½ miles. Also, Silent Bird ($9.40) upset Baffert’s Jazzy Times in the $100,000 Damascus.
— The other two races Friday were won by jockey Rafael Bejarano, but later he extended his Breeders’ Cup record to 5-for-77 when the long shots he rode in the Juvenile Turf and Juvenile Fillies Turf did not hit the board. He has six Breeders’ Cup mounts Saturday.
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