The English page - Derby winner supplemented

The “Große Woche Baden-Baden” the big week Baden-Baden is exactly that in the German Racing calendar. Whether it is Royal Ascot week in England or the Prix de l´Arc de Triomphe weekend in Paris Longchamp this week in Baden-Baden is the most important internationally for our sport with the highlight on the last Sunday the Großer Preis von Baden. This is where we sell our sport. Throw in the BBAG Premiere yearling sales and it becomes the meeting point for owners, trainers, breeder’s agents, and everyone involved in racing the whole year.

Last Saturday saw the week kick off in front of a crowd of around 8.500 with an 8-race afternoon program which included the 68. Preis der Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. The Group III over 2000 meters saw 8 runners go to post in a very open affair. Mansour (Tai Chi) was sent directly to the front by his jockey Sibylle Vogt and they were allowed to dictate their own pace at the head of affairs. Followed from the offset by Mythico (Adlerflug), Aemilianus (Holy Roman Emperor), the 3-year-old Vintage Moon (Sea the Moon) and Petit Marin (Flamingo Fantasy) as the favorite Best of Lips (the Gurkha) sat last. With nobody taking the leader on. Vogt got her fractions perfect and quickened evenly from the Boxendorf long straight and opted for the middle of the rain softened track as did Aemilianus and Petit Marin whereas Mythico and Hugo Boutin went to the outside. At the furlong pole these four settled down for a ding dong battle but Mansour was very tough and stuck his out to gain the day by a neck from a gallant Mythico with 1 ½ length back to Peitit Marin in third. For the 6-year-old Mansour it was a first win at Group level, but he deserves it on toughness alone. A nice prize for his owner-breeder Angela Muntwyler and Bremen-Mahndorf Trainer Pavel Vovcenko and a class ride from his very talented female rider Sibylle Vogt.

In the other black type race on the card the Baden Bandener Steher Cup over 2800 meters (1mile 6 furlongs), the Crowd were treated to another exciting finish as the 4-year-old Lordano (Adlerflug) just outstayed Lion's Head (Protectionist) to win by a nose with Nacido (Tertullian) 2 ¾ length away in third. The winner trained by Marcel Weiss for Gestüt Ittlingen is now a 4-time winner from 6 starts, that was the first at black type level and lhe ooks a nice stayer in the making.

On Sunday, in front of almost 8.000 people, we saw the renewal of the 153. Casino Baden-Baden Goldene Peitsche Group III over the straight 6-furlong course. The €55.000 event is the most important sprint race in Germany and also for the winning owner there is the coveted Golden Whip engraved with all previous winners. The 12 strong field included two runners from the Czech Republic and 2 from France, Amellata (Pomellato) and Exxtra (Starspangled banner) who would be sent off favorite and second favorite for the race. The Favorite Amellata under Andrasch Starke got a good start and was able to get the running. rail where she was followed by Zerostress (Areion) and Power Daddy while Danelo joined in, three wide. Zandjan (Counterattack) a little fractious in the stalls, was squeezed out at the start and travelled in last position. Entering the real 300 meter straight the French filly was being strongly pressed by Zerostress who took over the lead as Extraa came out of the pack to throw down a strong challenge as did Clever Candy (Intello) and from the back Zandjan. While the first two, Zerostress and Exxtra settled down to battle it out over the last 200 meters, Zerostress wandered and slightly interfered with the French runner Extraa and also carried her over to the middle of the track albeit jockey Roman Thomas on Exxtra never had to stop riding. At the post it was the German runner Zerostress with a head in front of Extraa with Clever Candy, stablemate of the winner, 2 ¾ lengths back in third in turn a head in front of the unlucky in running Zandjan fourth.

The Goldene Peitsche would stay in Germany, but then the Siren and a stewards enquiry into the last 1 ½ furlongs of the race. A nervous time for trainer Sascha Smrczek and owners Stall ROM, a syndicate of over 40 led by ex jump jockey Ronnie Lüdtke, who himself had led up the winner Zerostress. It took the stewards a good ten minutes before the German congregation could celebrate their incredible win. Exxtra was surely an unlucky looser. Trainer Carlos Lerner reported her next start could be in Prix de la Foret on Arc Day. While Zandjan is definitely one to note for future sprints.

On the same card we seen a very nice performance from the 2-year-old filly Three Havanas (Havana Grey) who on her debut won by a comfortable 2 lengths in the €102.500 valued BBAG sales race. 

Looking forward to the big weekend and the Group I 153. Wettstar der Große Preis von Baden. After the forfait stage only 7 runners have been left in Sammarco (Camelot) and Sisfahan (Isfahan) of the older German horses and Mr. Hollywood (Iquitos), Straight (Zarak), Kassada (Sea the Moon) and Quantanamera (Lope de Vega) from the 3-year-olds. But on wednesday the Derby winner Fantastic Moon (Sea the Moon) was supplemented for €40.000 - the decision fell against Leopatdstown and Longchamp. One Foreign raider: From the Yann Barberot French stables, comes Zagrey (Zarak) with world class jockey Christoph Soumillon. Zagrey finished third in the Dubai Sheema Classic Group I behind Equinox and Westover in Meydan last March and followed that up in Saint Cloud with a second place behind Westover in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud Goup I on his European seasonal debut. He will be a hard horse to beat here and a big test for Faantastic Moon, Mr. Hollywood and the Oaks runner up Kassada. Sisfahan ran a big race last time out in the Group I Großer Preis von Berlin behind another French horse Simca Mille and is back in top form.

The field is completed by Sammarco who just hasn’t found his best 3-year-old form yet, Straight who has not brought his `Union` form since and Quantanamera, another who was the leading 2 year old filly but after an injury is fighting to find her best form. Let’s hope we get good weather for an enjoyable day´s racing with a big crowd and a good ground that all these top horses can perform. 

Shannon Spratter