Last term's Listed Derby du Midi and Listed Grand Prix du Nord victor had his task made slightly earier task by the withdrawal of G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) was he keen under cover, along the fence on the heels of the leaders, as 'TDN Rising Star' and Deutsches Derby runner-up Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}) set a modest pace for most of the 12-furlong trip. Caught in traffic out wide as the sprint commenced in earnest off the home turn, the 2-5 favourite was presented with a dream seam underneath the stands' side rail when Mr Hollywood drifted off a true line passing the furlong pole and stayed on relentlessy to deny that tenacious rival by a neck in the dying strides. Gestut Karlshof's Straight (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}) was on the scene throughout the thrilling final quarter-mile and only gave best nearing the line, finishing a half-length adrift in third.

Christophe Soumillon, who was winning the Grosser Preis for the first time, said, “The start was very difficult because we didn't go very fast. Luckily on the first bend the lead horse didn't turn well so that gave me the opportunity to get on the inside and let him roll a bit. After that, he was really relaxed for the whole race. He changed legs perfectly when I asked him to and when we got into the straight he was fighting with the bit a little.”

Zagrey takes the Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) !pic.twitter.com/KuKif0luQU

— IFHA's Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (@worldsbesthorse) September 3, 2023

“When I asked him to quicken, I had to wait as there was a point when I didn't have a lot of room so I was just waiting for the gap. He's a lovely horse. We knew everything would suit him here, especially the way the race is run here as he always hangs right, so for him to get the perfect leg to the outside is always great. For sure, he would have been better with a stronger tempo in the race, but he was in great shape today.”

Barberot, who landed his second Group 1 victory and first in Germany, added, “It's never easy to win a Group 1, even with a good horse like him. It was a great race in the straight. There wasn't a lot of room in the last 500 metres, particularly when they had gone such a slow pace early on, but the horse showed a lot of courage to get there. Having said that, when they were turning into the straight I was quite worried.”

Pedigree Notes
Zagrey, who becomes the 10th pattern-race scorer and first at the highest level for his sire (by Dubawi {Ire}), is the fourth of six foals and one of three scorers out of the unraced Grey Anatomy (GB) (Slickly {Fr}). The April-foaled bay is a half to G1 Criterium International third Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}), the stakes-placed Anatiya (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}) and the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Eepha (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). His second dam, Listed Virginia S. victrix Light Step (Nureyev), produced dual stakes-winning G3 Prix des Reservoirs third Nova Step (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and is kin to three stakes winners headed by MGISP G2 Royal Lodge S. victor Eltish (Cox's Ridge). Light Step is out of Nimble Feet (Danzig), herself a full-sister to GI Arlington-Washington Lassie S. heroine Contredance and kin to MGSW distaffer Skimble (Lyphard). Skimble, in turn, is the dam of dual GI Pacific Classic-winning sire Skimming (Nureyev).

Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany
153RD WETTSTAR.DE GROSSER PREIS VON BADEN-G1, €400,000, Baden-Baden, 9-3, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:39.77, gd.
1–ZAGREY (FR), 132, c, 4, by Zarak (Fr)
1st Dam: Grey Anatomy (GB), by Slickly (Fr)
2nd Dam: Light Step, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Nimble Feet, by Danzig
1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€32,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Ecurie Altima & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Ecurie Euroling (FR); T-Yann Barberot; J-Christophe Soumillon. €230,000. Lifetime Record: MSW & G1SP-Fr, G1SP-UAE, 14-5-4-2, €1,034,716. *1/2 to Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}), G1SP-Fr, $280,444; and Anatiya (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}), SP-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mr Hollywood (Ire), 125, c, 3, Iquitos (Ger)–Margie's Music (Fr), by Hurricane Run (Ire). (€15,000 Ylg '21 BBAGS). O-Wanja Soren Oberhof & Sebastian Weiss; B-Gestut Ammerland (GER); T-Henk Grewe. €90,000.
3–Straight (Ger), 125, c, 3, Zarak (Fr)–Seductive (Ger), by Henrythenavigator. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€40,000 RNA Ylg '21 BBAGS). O/B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Andreas Wohler. €45,000.
Margins: NK, HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 4.50, 17.70.
Also Ran: Quantanamera (Ger), Kassada (Ger), Sisfahan (Fr). Scratched: Fantastic Moon (Ger).

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The 17-2 chance occupied a slot in rear after a slightly tardy getaway and remained there through halfway. Shaken up when sent wide into the straight, he made relentless headway from the two pole to launch his challenge entering the final furlong and surged clear in style thereafter to ward off British raider Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation) by 2 1/2 lengths.

“We had a great trip throughout the race and were able to bide our time for as long as necessary,” winning rider Rene Piechulek told GaloppOnline. “Even though it may have not appeared that way, it was never close for us and he just makes a huge effort on that ground.”

Pedigree Notes
Calif is a son of G3 Hamburger Stutenmeile victrix and G2 German 1000 Guineas runner-up Cherry Danon (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and thus kin to the stakes-winning trio Celebrity (Ger) (Shamardal), Chilly Filly (Ger) (Makfi {GB}) and Cherry Lady (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). One of his sire's 31 pattern-race winners, he is also a half-brother to the unraced 2-year-old filly Cherry Lou (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and a weanling filly by Mehmas (Ire). The April-foaled dark bay's second dam Sherifa (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) is a full-sister to the stakes-winning dam of three black-type winners headed by MGSW sire Sommerabend (GB) (Shamardal). From the dam line of legendary champion Schwarzgold (Ger) (Alchimist {Ger}), this is a family which includes GI Hollywood Turf Cup hero Sanagas (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}) and G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin winner Sirius (Ger) (Dashing Blade {GB}).

Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany
90TH BRUNNER – OETTINGEN-RENNEN-G2, €70,000, Baden-Baden, 9-3, 3yo/up, 8fT, 1:41.64, gd.
1–CALIF (GER), 128, g, 4, by Areion (Ger)
1st Dam: Cherry Danon (Ire) (GSW-Ger & GSP-Ity, $103,338), by Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sherifa (Ger), by Monsun (Ger)
3rd Dam: Shona (Ger), by Windwurf (Ger)
(€95,000 RNA Ylg '20 BBAGS). O-Stall Hanse; B-Gestut Brummerhof (GER); T-Peter Schiergen; J-Rene Piechulek. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 17-3-3-3, €118,850. *1/2 to Celebrity (Ger) (Shamardal), MSW & GSP-Ger; Chilly Filly (Ger) (Makfi {GB}), SW & GSP-Ger; and Cherry Lady (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), SW-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Brave Emperor (Ire), 123, g, 3, Sioux Nation–Roman Gal (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). (£19,000 Ylg '21 GOUKPR). O-Middleham Park Racing LX; B-Caroline Hanly & Sean Ronan (IRE); T-Archie Watson. €15,500.
3–Aguirre (Ger), 128, g, 5, Camelot (GB)–Amazona (Ger), by Dubawi (Ire). O-Gestut Schlenderhan; B-Stall Ullmann (GER); T-Markus Klug. €8,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1HF, HF. Odds: 8.50, 4.80, 5.80.
Also Ran: Arnis Master (Ger), Dapango (Ger), See Hector (Ger), Angers (Fr), Parol (Ger), Best Lightning (Fr).

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The 9-5 favourite lobbed along in seventh passing the judge first time and bounded forward to stalk the leaders in fourth along the backstraight. Inching into second rounding the home turn, she was shaken to to seize control appoaching the final furlong and stayed on strongly under a late drive to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths from Kolossal (Ger) (Outstrip {GB}). Sophomore filly North Reliance (Ger) (Reliable Man {GB}) fared best of the remainder and finished a half-length back in third.

“I allowed her time to find her feet at first,” explained winning rider Bauyrzhan Murzabayev after notching a first pattern-race win in Germany for His Highness The Aga Khan since Kartajana (Ire) (Shernazar {Ire}) annexed 1991's G1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich. “There was absolutely no pace, but that did not really matter as she does not tend to pull. I sent her forward in the final turn and soon realized that Kolossal was my main opponent. She fought gamely and ran on well although I might have hit the front a little too soon.”

Pedigree Notes

Darkaniya is the seventh of 10 foals and one of five winners from as many runners produced by G1 Hong Kong Vase victrix and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud third Daryakana (Fr) (Selkirk). The February-foaled homebred, whose dam is a daughter of G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Daryaba (Ire) (Night Shift), is a half-sister to G1 Prix Ganay-winning sire Dariyan (Fr) (Shamardal) and GII Knickerbocker S. and GIII Monmouth S. winner Devamani (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}). She is also kin to stakes-winning G3 Prix Fille de l'Air third Dariyza (Fr) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine victor Darabad (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), the unraced 2-year-old filly Darylakha (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Sea The Stars (Ire).

Saturday, Baden-Baden, Germany
T VON ZASTROW STUTENPREIS-G2, €70,000, Baden-Baden, 9-2, 3yo/up, f/m, 12fT, 2:37.86, gd.
1–DARKANIYA (FR), 131, f, 4, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Daryakana (Fr) (G1SW-HK, GSW & G1SP-Fr, $1,372,923), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Daryaba (Ire), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Darata (Ire), by Vayrann (Ire)
1ST GROUP WIN. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €40,000. Lifetime Record: SW-Fr, 10-4-0-1, €116,430. *1/2 to Dariyan (Fr) (Shamardal), G1SW-Fr, G1SP-HK & GSP-UAE, $872,592; Devamani (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), MGSW-US, $560,208; Dariyza (Fr) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), SW & GSP-Fr; and Darabad (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), SW-Fr, $145,558. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kolossal (Ger), 131, m, 5, Outstrip (GB)–Kolosseum (Ger), by Samum (Ger). (€22,000 Ylg '19 BBAGS). O-Stall Blue Diamond; B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Carmen Bocskai. €15,500.
3–North Reliance (Ger), 123, f, 3, Reliable Man (GB)–North Queen (Ire), by Desert King (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Michael Wachowitz; B-Gestut Wittekindshof (GER); T-Marcel Weiss. €8,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, NK. Odds: 1.80, 4.90, 28.80.
Also Ran: Drawn To Dream (Ire), Weracruz (Ger), Princess Zelda (Ger), Mythicara (Ire), Ultima (Ger), View Zabeel (Ire).

T.v.Zastrow Stutenpreis (G2)
2.400 m – 70.000 EUR – for 3yo+ mares
Baden-Baden

Darkaniya (FR)
(4M Frankel- Daryakana , by Selkirk)
J :@BauyrzhanBauy1
T : @GraffardRacing
O : @AgaKhanStuds pic.twitter.com/p5T8pQ18mX

— (@WorldRacing1) September 2, 2023

The post Frankel’s Darkaniya Prevails In Baden-Baden Feature appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The caravan rolls on, and it is always wise to stay on for a few days in Baden-Baden if time allows as, whether you're a pedigree purist or you simply enjoy a good day out at the races, all your needs will be catered for over the coming weekend at one of the most beautiful tracks in Europe. You can even take your dog and, if you really must, your children. 

First, though, there's the not-so-small matter of several hundred of Germany's best yearlings to get through tomorrow, along with some incomers from France, Ireland, Britain, Switzerland and even Hungary.

Had you been here two years ago you could have seen two future Classic stars. The Deutsches Derby winner Fantastic Moon (Ger) was sold by his breeders Philipp and Marion Stauffenberg for €49,000 to Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten's Liberty Racing. On the same day Baumgarten switched roles to sell a Sea The Moon filly for €80,000. She is now named Muskoka (Ger) and is the winner of the Preis der Diana, giving Baumgarten a rare Classic double as both owner and breeder. Fantastic Moon reappears at Baden-Baden on Sunday in the Grosser Preis, which this year carries enhanced prize-money of €400,000 and also features the Preis der Diana runner-up Kassada (Ger), yet another by Sea The Moon, as well as the Derby runner-up Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}).

Before then, Muskoka's half-sister by Reliable Man (GB) will be offered for sale as lot 175 on Friday from the draft of Timo and Nastasja Degel's Gestut Ohlerweiherhof, a growing force, both on the German sales and stallion scene, with the 2016 Deutsches Derby winner Isfahan (Ger) on its roster.

It has been quite the year for Baumgarten, who is likely to be extra busy during Friday's sale as he attempts to sign up the next intake of yearlings for what will be an enhanced Liberty Racing presence for next year.

“I am very happy with the season. If you win the Derby and the Diana it's amazing, a childhood dream,” he told TDN.

“We are making the syndicate bigger this year. We started with 12 investors in 2020 and now we have near 100 in this year, so we are creating four syndicates for next season. We've raised €2 million for the horseracing industry in Germany and I'm happy that a lot of people trust me and my team–that was on my mind as we created it.”

He continued, “The sport in Germany is not easy. We have fewer horses in training in the country this year compared to last year, and we have lost 2,000 horses over 20 years. So the industry is not in the best shape but we are doing our best to find new owners.”

One of the saddest losses to the German stallion ranks in recent years was that of Adlerflug (Ger), who died in April 2021 the year after he became champion sire in his native country. Baumgarten was closely connected to the stallion as the manager of the syndicate of breeders involved in his stud career.

This is the final year that Adlerflug will be represented by yearlings at BBAG, where he has six catalogued. He has been succeeded at stud by his Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe-winning son Torquator Tasso (Ger), who was Germany's busiest stallion in 2023, covering 85 mares in his first season at Gestut Auenquelle.

Baumgarten added, “The loss of Adlerflug was sad for me. He was so good in his last three years and he passed away too early. He has some good yearlings here and I hope that they sell well, and that he can give us perhaps a sire in his last crop. It is amazing for Germany that Torquator Tasso is in this country, and that he did not go to France or England. We need sire power.”

Baumgarten's Reliable Man filly is not the only half-sibling to one of this year's Classic winners present at BBAG as Gestut Fahrhof is consigning lot 165, a first-crop daughter of Pinatubo (Ire) out of the Group 3-winning Speightstown mare Hargeisa, whose second foal is the German 1000 Guineas victrix Habana (Ger).

There's not much breathing room in the sales calendar at present, with the Goffs Premier Sale having only just concluded and the Somerville Sale looming, hard on the heels of another horses-in-training sale at Tattersalls on Friday. However, plenty of British and Irish visitors have made their way to Germany. A noticeably larger contingent of British trainers present at BBAG includes Alice Haynes, Lemos de Souza, Kevin Philippart de Foy, Willie Butler and Tom Clover, all of whom were on the hunt early on Thursday morning, along with the regulars Ralph Beckett and Andrew Balding, plus a wide range of agents and breeze-up pinhookers.

The Faust family's Gestut Karlshof continues to enjoy a great run as both owner and breeder, and their colours will be represented in Sunday's G1 Grosser Preis von Baden by the Andreas Wohler-trained Straight (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}), winner of the G2 Union-Rennen earlier this season. The colt is another with a sibling in the sale: his half-brother by Brametot (Ire) features as lot 71 and represents Karlshof's signature family of Sacarina (GB) (Old Vic {GB}). So deep is that blue hen's imprint in the stud's bloodlines that she appears as the fourth dam of the of this colt, who has been named Seducer. Hard to think of a better name for a future stallion.

Karlshof also offers a strapping chestnut colt from the first crop of Ghaiyyath (Ire). Catalogued as lot 176, he is closely related to another recent group winner from the farm, the G3 Schwarzgold Rennen winner and German 1000 Guineas runner-up No Limit Credit (Ger) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

Late updates are always welcome for any consignor and lot 59 was given a boost on Wednesday when his relative Carolina Reaper (GB), trained by Charlie Johnston, became the third group winner for her young sire Too Darn Hot (GB) in the G3 Zukunfts Rennen next door to the sales complex. It's a page which doesn't require too much of a lift as the Sea The Stars (Ire) yearling colt in question, offered by Stauffenberg Bloodstock, is out of a Dubawi half-sister to Lordship Stud's St Leger winner Sixties Icon (GB), who is in turn out of the Oaks winner Love Divine (GB). The latter's Listed-winning half-sister Dark Promise (GB) is the dam of Carolina Reaper. 

While this year's draft from the Stauffenbergs features two Sea The Stars yearlings, there are none by his son Sea The Moon, whose name has loomed large in this year's German Classics. Five of those can be found in the next row along, however, in the consignment of Sea The Moon's breeder Gestut Gorlsdorf, along with a Belardo (Ire) colt out of the most appropriately named mare in the catalogue: Baden Baden (and, yes, she's by Sea The Moon, out of Berlin Berlin). Her yearling is perhaps so good that he has also been named twice. He's called Bonn Bonn. Or maybe that should be Bon Bon. 

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The March-foaled bay had earlier registered a sixth over the same trip in Royal Ascot's Listed Chesham S., before breaking through at Newmarket in her penultimate start, and was settled off a solid early tempo in eighth. Coming under pressure when slipping one spot on the home turn, she made headway out wide in the straight to launch her bid underneath the stands' side rail passing the furlong pole and stayed on in relentless fashion to secure a career high by a neck in the dying strides. Jean-Pierre Carvalho trainee Schutzenzauber (Ger) (Amaron {GB}) finished second, a half-length in front of West Man (Ger) (Areion {Ger}), in a thrilling three-way tussle for the prize.

“It was a tough race for her,” said winning rider Jack Mitchell. “In England, she's very sharp and she can make the running, but today she just didn't want to. I had to ride her differently, wherever she was happy, and she just did enough for me.”

Pedigree Notes

Darley's Too Darn Hot now leads his European first-season sire class in the group winners category with his trio of fillies. The list also features G3 Sweet Solera S. winner Fallen Angel (GB) and G3 Prestige S. victrix Darnation (Ire). Carolina Reaper is the seventh of nine foals and one of four winners produced by Listed Rosemary S. victrix Dark Promise (GB) (Shamardal), herself half to four black-type performers headed by G1 Oaks heroine Love Divine (GB) (Diesis {GB}). Love Divine's trio of stakes performers includes G1 St Leger-winning sire Sixties Icon (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) while another half-sister, Love Excelling (Fr) (Polish Precedent), is the dam of dual G1 Singapore International Cup and G1 Champions Mile hero Dunboyne Express (Ire) (Shamardal). The leading performer out of Carolina Reaper's third dam Maryinsky (Northern Dancer) is G1 Champion S. and G1 Premio Roma-winning sire Legal Case (Ire) (Alleged). The March-foaled bay is kin to a yearling colt by New Bay (GB) and a weanling filly by Time Test (GB).

Wednesday, Baden-Baden, Germany
150TH RENATE AND ALBRECHT WOESTE – ZUKUNFTS-RENNEN-G3, €55,000, Baden-Baden, 8-30, 2yo, 7fT, 1:27.14, g/s.
1–CAROLINA REAPER (GB), 125, f, 2, by Too Darn Hot (GB)
1st Dam: Dark Promise (GB), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: La Sky (Ire), by Law Society
3rd Dam: Maryinsky, by Northern Dancer
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (46,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Gallop Racing; B-Lordship Stud (GB); T-Charlie Johnston; J-Jack Mitchell. €32,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-0, €54,051. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Schutzenzauber (Ger), 128, c, 2, Amaron (GB)–Schutzenpost (Ger), by American Post (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Walter Busch (GER); T-Jean-Pierre Carvalho. €12,000.
3–West Man (Ger), 128, c, 2, Areion (Ger)–Wild Approach (Ger), by New Approach (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€52,000 Ylg '22 BBAGS). O-msn-racing; B-Gestut Brummerhof (GER); T-Andreas Suborics. €6,000.
Margins: NK, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.80, 7.40, 5.20.
Also Ran: Mademoiselle Ninet (Ger), Geography (Ger), New Emerald (Ger), Son Roc (Ger), Emir (Fr), Royal Rose (Fr), Sommerblitz (Ger), Taifa (Ger).

Carolina Reaper
(Too Darn Hot – Dark Promise , by Shamardal )

Schutzenzauber
(Amaron – Schutzenpost , by American Post )

Zukunfts-Rennen
Baden-Baden #BadenBaden #Almanya #Dubawi #Shamardal #HoistTheFlag #Bering #ShirleyHeights pic.twitter.com/vcE3RFmpJD

— Aydın Stud (@aydin_stud) August 30, 2023

The post Carolina Reaper Too Hot For Baden-Baden Rivals, Third Group Winner For Too Darn Hot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Mendocino had garnered prizemoney in each of his nine prior runs, winning two, and arrived for his date with destiny off the back of a third in ParisLongchamp's May 12 G3 Prix d'Hedouville and a fifth in June's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly last time. The eventual winner found comfort behind all three rivals and raced fourth, with his head in his chest, passing the judge first time. Inching closer as Torquator Tasso and Sammarco locked horns early and lit each other up off the home turn, he fanned widest of all to the stands' side rail in early straight and refused to yield once hitting the front with 100 metres remaining, holding the late rally of the former by a head in game fashion. Sammarco kept on to finish 1 1/4 lengths further adrift in third.

“I had a mega race, Mendocino switched off well at the back and showed tremendous speed at the end,” said Piechulek after claiming back-to-back victories in the contest. “The result is just awesome and everything worked out wonderfully.” Winning trainer Sarah Steinberg added, “He was coming back off a break, the competition was very strong and we would have been satisfied if Mendocino had finished in the first three. In the race, he was able to stay out of everything and pulled out big at the end. This is a very emotional moment for me. He's supposed to come home before we commit to anything, but of course the [G1 Prix de l'] Arc [de Triomphe] is a very likely destination.” Stall Salzburg's Hans-Gerd Wernicke, who also raced Night Magic (Ger) (Sholokhov {Ire}) to farm this contest in 2010, commented, “The break was worth it. We thought long and hard about running here and, ultimately, we made the right decision. Sarah Steinberg is not only first class as a person, but also a first-class trainer.”

“Unfortunately he had the worst race of all participants, he couldn't find any cover and was always galloping freely,” reflected Torquator Tasso's trainer Marcel Weiss. “It's not his ideal track, even though he'd won here before.” Frankie Dettori added, “There wasn't enough pace in the race and the ground wasn't soft enough either. I started working with a half mile to go, but the winner accelerated faster in the straight.” Gestut Auenquelle's Peter-Michael Endres continued, “It was anything but a good race for him, but that's horse racing. It could look different again in Paris and I've just booked Frankie for the Arc.”

Despite a first reversal in four starts, Peter Schiergen was satisfied with the performance of Sammarco, who looks bound for Cologne and the G1 Preis von Europa. “He attacked well, he ran a great race again today and we didn't disgrace ourselves,” the trainer said. “Sammarco always runs great and the Preis von Europa is an option.”

Mendocino, who becomes the eighth Group 1 winner for his ill-fated sire (by In The Wings {GB}), is the first elite-level scorer for the stakes-winning Mill Marin (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). Her first foal is G3 Grosser Preis der Landeshauptstadt Dusseldorf victrix Marshmallow (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) while her fourth is last year's Listed Junioren-Preis third Millionaire (Ger) (Adlerflug {GB}). The March-foaled chestnut's stakes-placed second dam Mill Guineas (Salse), who also produced Listed Prix Herod second Olvia (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), is kin to G2 Falmouth S. victrix Ronda (GB) (Bluebird) and stakes-winning G3 Prix de Conde runner-up Silver Gilt (GB) (Silver Hawk). Ronda, who is the dam of GIII Ack Ack H. scorer Istan (Gone West), is also a half-sister to the dam of G3 Prix du Calvados and G3 Ridgewood Pearl S. victrix Purr Along (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}), Listed Land O'Burns Fillies' S. winner Katawi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the dual stakes-placed Lady Francesca (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}). Mendocino's fourth dam Memory Lane (Never Bend) won the G3 Princess Royal S. and is a full-sister to G1 Derby hero and leading sire Mill Reef (Never Bend). Mill Marin has a yearling colt by Gleneagles (Ire) to come.

Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany
152ND WETTSTAR.DE GROSSER PREIS VON BADEN-G1, €200,000, Baden-Baden, 9-4, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:38.71, g/s.
1–MENDOCINO (GER), 132, c, 4, by Adlerflug (Ger)
1st Dam: Mill Marin (Ire) (SW-Swe, $148,712), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Mill Guineas, by Salse
3rd Dam: Memory's Gold, by Java Gold
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€58,000 RNA Ylg '19 BBAGS). O-Stall Salzburg; B-Gestut Brummerhof (GER); T-Sarah Steinberg; J-Rene Piechulek. €115,000. Lifetime Record: 10-3-2-1, €204,050. *Full to Millionaire (Ger), SP-Ger; and 1/2 to Marshmallow (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), GSW-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Torquator Tasso (Ger), 132, h, 5, Adlerflug (Ger)–Tijuana (Ger), by Toylsome (GB). (€24,000 Ylg '18 BBAGO). O-Gestut Auenquelle; B-Paul H Vandeberg (GER); T-Marcel Weiss. €44,000.
3–Sammarco (Ire), 125, c, 3, Camelot (GB)–Saloon Sold (Ger), by Soldier Hollow (GB). (€120,000 RNA Ylg '20 BBAGS). O/B-Gestut Park Wiedingen (IRE); T-Peter Schiergen. €23,000.
Margins: HD, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 6.90, 0.70, 2.20.
Also Ran: Alter Adler (Ger). Scratched: Ardakan (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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“To finish first and second is a dream result,” trainer Waldemar Hickst to GaloppOnline. “I actually had more of a gut feeling for India because she had improved from race to race, but it was a great ride from Olivier Peslier and I'm extremely satisfied. I was concerned about the distance and the [good-to-] soft ground, but she had no problems with it. Amazing Grace could now head to Canada for the [GI] E. P. Taylor S., while India has an entry for a Group race in Paris on Arc Day.” The winning owner's racing manager Ronald Rauscher added, “We hoped Amazing Grace would be competitive, but the pace wasn't excessively high. She won very convincingly and we now have the E. P. Taylor S. in the back of our minds. Another possibility is the [G1] Preis von Europa in Cologne.”

Pedigree Notes

Amazing Grace is one of two black-type and two group winners for her G1 Melbourne Cup-winning sire. Out of a German listed winning-daughter of Danehill Dancer (Ire), Amazing Grace is one of two winners from three to race for her dam. Amabelle has the unraced juvenile full-brother to the winner in Astaire (Ire), a yearling filly by Gleneagles (Ire) and a foal of this year, once again by Protectionist.

Antonym (Bahri), the second dam of Amazing Grace, also struck at listed level in Germany, while she, in turn, is out of the dual French Group 2 winner Annaba (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}). This is the extended family of G3 Park Hill S. heroine Anna Of Saxony (GB) (Ela-Mana-Mou {Ire}), as well as of Accessories (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), the dam of a quartet of group winners led by Group 1 winners and sires Epaulette (Aus) (Commands {Aus}) and Helmet (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}).

Saturday, Baden-Baden, Germany
T VON ZASTROW STUTENPREIS-G2, €70,000, Baden-Baden, 9-3, 3yo/up, f/m, 12fT, 2:36.11, g/s.
1–AMAZING GRACE (GER), 131, f, 4, by Protectionist (Ger)
1st Dam: Amabelle (Ger), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Antonym, by Bahri
3rd Dam: Annaba (Ire), by In The Wings (GB)
O/B-Dr Christoph Berglar (GER); T-Waldemar Hickst; J-Olivier Peslier. €40,000. Lifetime Record: MGSP-Fr & GSP-Ity, 14-4-4-4, €196,400. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–India (Ger), 131, f, 4, Adlerflug (Ger)–Ivory Coast (Fr), by Peintre Celebre. O-Gestut Ittlingen; B-Gestut Hof Ittlingen (GER); T-Waldemar Hickst. €15,500.
3–Atomic Blonde (Ger), 123, f, 3, The Grey Gatsby (Ire)–Alwina (Ger), by Areion (Ger). (€75,000 RNA Ylg '19 BBAGO). O/B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Henk Grewe. €8,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3/4, 2. Odds: 2.50, 1.60, 13.30.
Also Ran: Narmada (Ger), Well Disposed (Ire), Nachtrose (Ire). Scratched: Salve Le Meer (Ger). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Amazing Grace 4yo f, Protectionist @Sternkoenig – Amabelle (Danehill Dancer) won the Gr.2 T. von Zastrow Stutenpreis over 2400m at Iffezheim, Baden-Baden

Bred&owned by Dr. Christoph Berglar
Trained by Waldemar Hickst
Ridden by O. Peslier@Austbloodstock @Ausbloodstock pic.twitter.com/nQdI0Hs7VT

— Ernur İnanç (@ErnurInanc) September 3, 2022

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Baden-Baden's 'Grosse Woche', which includes four days of racing action in Iffezheim, is in full swing again and culminates on Sunday with a repeat appearance from Torquator Tasso in the meeting's big race, in which he will take on this year's G1 German Derby winner Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). The week is going well for Paul Vandeberg, who bred not only Torquator Tasso but his half-brother Tünnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ger}), the one-time 2022 German Derby favourite who missed the early part of his Classic season through injury but bounced back in style with his easy victory in the Preis der BBAG Auktionsrennen on Wednesday afternoon.

Vandeberg has decided to keep hold of the yearling full-brother to the Arc winner, a colt made that bit more precious by the sad demise of his sire Adlerflug (Ger) in April 2021, but this year's Derby-winning breeder Helmut von Finck is offering the half-brother to Sammarco on Friday. The colt by the veteran of the German stallion ranks, Areion (Ger), features as lot 157. His dam Saloon Sold (Ger), by von Finck's hugely successful stallion Soldier Hollow (GB), won at two and three and earned listed black type before hitting the bullseye in producing a Classic winner as her first foal. Sammarco has also gone on to win the G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis over 10 furlongs against his elders since his Derby triumph.

“Winning the Derby with Sammarco was very special,” said von Finck at BBAG on Wednesday. “The auction company wanted to have his brother here but he is a late foal, born in May, and Areion is not such a commercial stallion so we do not expect a big price. If we cannot sell him we will keep him to race. We will see how the market is. Sammarco came here two years ago and people thought he was small but he wasn't too small to win the Derby.”

Gestut Park Wiedingen's draft of four homebreds also includes lot 39, a colt by Sea The Moon (Ger) who is a grandson of von Finck's Preis der Diana (German Oaks) winner Flamingo Road (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), as well as the first foal of champion 2-year-old Whispering Angel (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). The filly is by the late Mastercraftsman (Ire) and is catalogued as lot 70.

“We have four very good horses,” von Finck continued. “A Sea The Moon from one of my favourite families of Flamingo Road, then we have a Soldier Hollow filly from Elvira (Ger), who is from a very good Rottgen family, and of course Soldier Hollow fillies are very interesting at the moment.”

He added, “I would like to think about involving partners or a syndicate in the future but no-one has spoken to me about this project. That's maybe the way we will go. I love my horses and I stand behind them.”

With Sammarco aiming for a third consecutive Group 1 victory on Sunday in the Grosser Preis, von Finck said he remains calm despite the big occasion.

“Obviously everything has to go well but he is in good shape and he is supposed to run, that”s what he was bred to do,” he said. “Of course Torquator Tasso will be hard to beat but I would be happy with second or third.”

Von Finck is also the breeder of Group 3 winner and Derby runner-up Destino (Ger)  (Soldier Hollow {GB}), who recently started his stud career at Gestut Westerberg and has his first yearlings for sale this year. His duo in the BBAG catalogue are both consigned by Peter and Aline Rodde's Gestut Westerberg, a pair of athletic colts who will sell at each end of the sale as lots 12 and 213.

Peter Rodde, overseeing his draft as the early viewers got to work, divulged that Destino, who is the only son of the 22-year-old Soldier Hollow at stud in Germany, had covered 27 mares in his first crop.

Another first-crop stallion very much aligned with Germany but with connections in Britain and Ireland is the Ballylinch Stud resident Waldgeist (GB), who is well-represented at BBAG, not least in the drafts of his co-breeders Gestut Ammerland and Gestut Fahrhof, the latter under the Jacobs family's former ownership of Newsells Park Stud, where the Arc winner was bred.

Waldgeist's nine yearlings in Baden-Baden include four of a five-strong draft from Ammerland, which recently enjoyed a terrific sale at Arqana in Deauville, selling six yearlings for a total of €2,375,000. Among its offerings here, lot 133 is a Waldgeist half-brother to the aforementioned Dalika, whose Grade I strike almost three weeks ago provided an important late update for the colt. There could yet be more to come from the Albert Stall-trained mare, who is now being primed for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

A welcome burst of rain appeared overnight in Baden-Baden, bringing the temperature down to a reasonable working level as agents from overseas started to drift into the sales ground on Wednesday morning. Action abated for a while as racing got underway next door, with an update for lot 151, Haras de l'Hotellerie's filly by Bated Breath (GB), provided by her half-sister Noble Heidi (Fr) (Intello {Ger}), who was the easy winner of the Coolmore-sponsored Listed Baden-Baden Cup. Now four, the daughter of the Orpen mare Noble Pensee (Fr), already had bold black type to her name as the winner of the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin as a 2-year-old.

Germany's largest commercial stud, Gestut Fahrhof, perhaps understandably boasts the most international list of sires when it comes to the yearlings offered. Among its draft of 17 is the only colt by Frankel (GB) in the sale, lot 58 being a three-parts-brother to the G1 Premio Roma winner Potemkin (Ger) (New Approach {GB}). The Fahrhof consignment also contains first-crop fillies by Too Darn Hot (GB) and Study Of Man (Ire), as well as a colt by Kingman (GB) out of the listed winner Sarandia (Ger) (Dansili {GB}). Kingman has already done the Fahrhof team quite a favour in providing 'TDN Rising Star' Habana (Ger), who was another facile winner on the rain-softened ground at Baden-Baden as the 2-year-old filly posted a Group 3 victory in the stud's distinctive black and yellow silks in Wednesday's feature race, the Renate und Ulbrecht Woeste Zukunfts-Rennen.

For breeders and consignors at BBAG, it was important to keep an eye on both the racecourse and the sales grounds during the initial day of showing, but for the next two days the focus will be solely on selling this year's crop of yearlings, with the sale set to start at 10 a.m. on Friday. We've seen some vibrant trade at BBAG in recent years, including a record-breaking top lot of €820,000 in 2019, which was equalled 12 months later even in the midst of a pandemic. It seems reasonable to expect another strong session on Friday, especially while German-breds continue to advertise the strength of the brand on a worldwide stage.

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Schiergen was delighted with the performances of Lizaid and Barina and said, “Both fillies had been working well and had improved from their debut victory, as a lot of my young horses do, so we were quite hopeful beforehand. Looking at the way they are bred, they should both be suited by longer distances next year.”

Lizaid is the first of two foals produced by G2 Diana-Trial third Litaara (Ger) (Wiener Walzer {Ger}), herself kin to MGSW G2 Union-Rennen victor Liang Kay (Ger) (Dai Jin {GB}) and stakes-winning G3 Kolner Herbst-Stuten-Meile placegetter Laeya Star (Ger) (Royal Dragon). The latter is the dam of G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen third Laeyos (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) while Liang Kay's full-sister Laey Diamond (Ger) produced G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) heroine Lacazar (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen runner-up Liberry Gold (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). The March-foaled homebred bay's dual stakes-winning second dam Linton Bay (Ger) (Funambule) is the leading performer out of Ludhiana (Ger) (Ti Amo {Ger}), whose descendants also include Listed Bayerischer Fliegerpreis and Listed Dallmayr Coupe Lukull winner Lonicera (Ger) (Charmer {Ire}). Lizaid hails from the family of Preis der Diana-winning champion Lis (Ger) (Masetto {Ger}) and she is kin to a weanling filly by Best Solution (Ire).

Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany
DIE WINTERKONIGIN – PREIS DES DERBYSIEGERS SISFAHAN-G3, €105,000, Baden-Baden, 10-17, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:42.87, gd.
1–LIZAID (GER), 128, f, 2, by Zarak (Fr)
1st Dam: Litaara (Ger) (GSP-Ger), by Wiener Walzer (Ger)
2nd Dam: Linton Bay (Ger), by Funambule
3rd Dam: Ludhiana (Ger), by Ti Amo (Ger)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Gestut Haus Zoppenbroich (GER); T-Peter Schiergen; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, €63,000. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rondina (Ger), 128, f, 2, Intello (Ger)–Rondinay (Fr), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB). O-Stall Carpe Diem; B-Ralf Kredel (GER); T-Waldemar Hickst. €23,000.
3–Barina (Ire), 128, f, 2, Gleneagles (Ire)–Biscaya Bay (GB), by Dansili (GB). O-Gestut Ammerland; B-Ammerland Verwaltung & Co GmbH & Co KG (IRE); T-Peter Schiergen. €11,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, SHD, NK. Odds: 5.40, 27.60, 11.40.
Also Ran: Lacuna (GB), Enjoy The Dream (GB), Rosenart (GB), Stephanie In Love (Fr), Atomic Blonde (Ger), Artemia, Indian Sunset (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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