Skip to main content
Thursday, November 12, 2026Nov 12

AP’s Derby Top 10: Dortmund still No. 1, filly at No. 9

FILE - In this April 27, 2014, file photo, Hall of Fame horse racing trainer Bob Baffert listens to a question during an interview outside Barn 33 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Baffert is holding a pretty strong hand heading into Kentucky Derby prep races the next few weeks, with the AP's top-rated Dortmund set for Saturday's San Felipe Stakes, and No. 3 American Pharoah scheduled for the Rebel Stakes on March 14.  (AP Photo/Garry Jones, File)
FILE - In this April 27, 2014, file photo, Hall of Fame horse racing trainer Bob Baffert listens to a question during an interview outside Barn 33 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Baffert is holding a pretty strong hand heading into Kentucky Derby prep races the next few weeks, with the AP's top-rated Dortmund set for Saturday's San Felipe Stakes, and No. 3 American Pharoah scheduled for the Rebel Stakes on March 14. (AP Photo/Garry Jones, File) FILE - In this April 27, 2014, file photo, Hall of Fame horse racing trainer Bob Baffert listens to a question during an interview outside Barn 33 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Baffert is holding a pretty strong hand heading into Kentucky Derby prep races the next few weeks, with the AP's top-rated Dortmund set for Saturday's San Felipe Stakes, and No. 3 American Pharoah scheduled for the Rebel Stakes on March 14. (AP Photo/Garry Jones, File)

Dortmund is showing he’s ready to race sooner than later – and trainer Bob Baffert isn’t about to slow him down.

One of Baffert’s top Kentucky Derby prospects, Dortmund is now set to run in the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday rather than the Santa Anita Derby on April 4.

The trainer says his unbeaten 3-year-old colt came out of last month’s win in the Robert B. Lewis in good shape, adding “we just didn’t want to keep him training for another month.”

Dortmund enters a weekend full of preps still No. 1 in the AP’s latest Run to the Roses Top 10 list of Kentucky Derby contenders. There’s one newcomer – Take Charge Brandi at No. 9 after trainer D. Wayne Lukas told the Daily Racing Form the filly is a go for the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 14.

Another change in the Top 10 has Upstart moving to No. 2, with Texas Red dropping to No. 3. Texas Red, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, is still recovering from an abscess of the right front foot following the San Vicente.