Exciting colt Dortmund extended his unbeaten record to six with a relentless front-running performance in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby, giving trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh win in California;s major prep for the Kentucky Derby.

Baffert is in a strong position as he also has the ruling Kentucky Derby favourite American Pharoah due to run next weekend in the G1 Arkansas Derby although many would rate Dortmund his equal after he joined Cavonnier (1996), Indian Charlie (1998), General Challenge (1999), Point Given (2001), Pioneerof The Nile (2009) and Midnight Interlude (2010) as Bafferts Santa Anita Derby winners.

None of his previous six winners went on to score at Churchill Downs but Dortmund’s easy score by more than four lengths over stablemate One Lucky Dane has the son of Big Brown poised to break the drought.

"I've been in this position before and it’s exciting when you know you have a legit contender,”Baffert said.

"It's good to see this horse just really developing the way he has from his first start. I just love the way he ran today.

"Even though he's won all his races, he's still learning," said his jockey Martin Garcia, who has been aboard in all six wins.

"When someone comes to him or I ask him to go he becomes push-button and he just takes off.

Dortmund already has a win on the Churchill Downs dirt track and has a direct connection to the Kentucky Derby as the last undefeated colt to win the Run for the Roses was his sire Big Brown.

The 100 points Dortmund acquired with the Santa Anita Derby win puts him in second place in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" standings, a single point behind International Star.

One Lucky Dane’s second-place finish puts the Lookin At Lucky colt in 16th place in the standing for the Kentucky Derby on May 2.