The Rennen Mile
The highlight race this weekend in Germany is The Rennen Mile (G2) over eight furlongs on the turf. The Group II race is offering up a total purse of $375,000. The race is open to all horses three years of age and up. The race looks like it is set to go off over a firm track for its post time of 3:20 PM EST this Saturday. The race has attracted a total of ten horses which will be going to the starting gate. Let’s take a look at this year’s contenders.
- Kick The Ace (IRE) – 3tees – M. Zues – 7/2
Going into the inside post for this race, this five-year-old son of top sire Galileo (IRE) most recently started in England during The Eclipsed Stakes (G1) at a mile and one quarter. The bay horse lingered towards the latter half of the field out of the gate in this race until being sent forward in the stretch where he would make up some ground, but only enough to cross the wire in seventh, setting a speed figure of one hundred twelve. The prior start for the horse was a victory, which came in the Confederate Stakes (G2) in the United States, where the horse won by two lengths after being one of the last out of the gate at the start.
2. Battletrooper (IRE) – padrestc – P. Jones – 10/1
Making a step up in class for this race and seeking out his first group win, this four-year-old by Shamardal has made a total of seventeen lifetime starts, the most recent of which came in The Hess Mile (G3) here in Germany. Out of the gate last at the start, the colt would make up some ground when asked in the stretch, but ended up crossing the wire in ninth, setting a speed figure of one hundred six. Prior to this the colt placed second in The Nordic Chemical (G2) in France over a mile. The most recent win for the bay colt was during a listed stakes over eight and a half furlongs in the Czech Republic.
3. Flash Sideways (ENG) – nashwan – H. Harzheim – 7/2
The first of two horses in the field this weekend to be sired by Frankel (GB), this five-year-old horse will be returning to Group II company this weekend, after most recently starting in the One Mile Classic (G3) in Sweden. The bay horse settled into sixth out of the gate, comfortably setting back in the middle of the field as is his regular racing style. However, the horse didn’t respond when asked in this race and would cross the wire sixth, setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. The horse saw his most recent win in August of last year during The Celebration (G3) in England over a mile. Again, coming out of the gate to settle in the middle of the field, the horse made his move midway through the race, going on to win by a length and three-quarters.
4. Kitten Shopping – denman – L. Slater – 11/1
Returning to group racing this weekend, this four-year-old light grey gelding most recently started in an allowance race over a mile in England. The gelding was sent out towards the rear of the field out of the ten-horse field. Midway through he would be asked to make his move and go on to win by one and three-quarter lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen, which equaled a lifetime best speed figure for the gelding. The most recent group start for the gelding was in The Witchcraft (G1) over a mile on a yielding course, where the gelding would cross the wire in eleventh.
5. Who Needs Rocks (IRE) – given2ndchances – Z. Edwards – 9/1
The only million-dollar earner in the field this weekend, this four-year-old gelding by Fastnet Rock (AUS) will be returning to stakes company after taking a step down in class to race at the allowance level. The most recent start for the bay gelding was in a mile long allowance race in Australia in which he was placed towards the middle of the field out of the gate, was asked for more midway through the race, and went on to cross the wire in front by a length and a half with a speed figure of one hundred nine. His most recent start against grouped company was in the Sydney Mile (G1) this past April where the gelding would finish in eleventh. His most recent Group win was last year’s New Zealand 2000 Dark Beers (G1) over a mile on the turf.
6. Auroran’s Thunder (ENG) – simsters1 – Z. Kentucky – 5/1
One of two six-year-olds in the race on Saturday, this brown gelding will be one of our older entries. He is out of the Hall of Fame broodmare Alayaya, who has produced two other group winners aside from this gelding. The most recent start for this English-bred was in South Africa during the Big Kahuna Cup (G3) at a mile and one-eighth. The gelding was well off the pace in this race, coming out of the gate and held back in tenth. The gelding never seemed to find his stride in the race, crossing the wire in twelfth, while setting a speed figure of one hundred one. The most recent win for the gelding was this past March in France during The Blank Eddie (G3). Again, towards the rear of the field out of the gate, the gelding picked off other runners early on in the race, and went on to win by a nose at the wire.
7. Reward Gold – shandon – S. Highlander –25/1
The longshot of Saturday’s race will be this four-year-old colt by Warrior’s Reward. The bay colt will be making his stakes debut in this race. The most recent win for the colt, who will be making his twentieth career start this weekend, was a listed stakes race over six furlongs in France. The colt broke out of the gate towards the rear of the field, rallied somewhat later on in the race, but crossed the wire in fifth, while setting a speed figure of one hundred three. The most recent win for the colt came in October of last year during an allowance race over a mile in Ireland. The colt won decidedly by three and three-quarter lenghts with a speed figure of one hundred.
8. Beers And Sunshine – beerkeg7 – D. Brock – 7/1
Despite placing in several graded starts, this six-year-old gelding is still looking for his first group win. The bay gelding made his most recent start here in Germany during The Hess Mile (G3). The geldng was sent quickly out of the gate and settled into second behind the front-runner. In the stretch, he would be caught by a late closing runner to cross the wire in third, setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. The most recent win for the gelding was in July of last year during a listed stakes race in Belgium over a mile. The gelding took this race in wire-to-wire fashion, setting a speed figure of one hundred sixteen.
9. Third World Nation – mtkbps – P. Harzheim – 7/1
Next we will be having a third six-year-old go into the starting gate as we near the end of the field. This brown horse is sired by Pioneerof The Nile. The most recent start for the horse came in May during The Premium Stakes (G2) over a mile in Italy. The horse was placed towards the rear out of ten-horse field and began taking on other contenders midway through the mile long race. The horse would go on to win by half a length, while setting a speed figure of one hundred ten. This was the second Group win for the horse, who had previously won The Stepson (G2) over a mile in Australia.
10. In The Whispers (GB) – sremel – E. Newcomb – 7/1
Last into the gates on Saturday will be this five-year-old horse, the second of the horses sired by Frankel (GB) to run this weekend. The group placed, the bay horse is still seeking his first win against group company. The most recent start for the horse came during The Hess Mile (G3) where he was sent out towards the rear of the field in ninth out of the gate, but would fall back further as the race progressed, ultimately leaving the horse to cross the wire in twelfth, setting a speed figure of one hundred and two. The most recent win for the horse was in a listed stakes race in the United States over a mile, which he won by a length. Despite not having won a Group race, the horse has placed in several, most recently including the Honery Queen’s Plate (G3) and The Witchcraft (G3), both over a mile on the turf.
Flrancho’s Picks:
Win: Kick The Ace (IRE)
Place: Flash Sideways (ENG)
Show: Third World Nation