G1, German Darby: Who brings home their first G1 win?
This weekend we head to Germany for the running of the G1, German Darby. This race has drawn a field of nine 3 year old entries and will be at the distance of 12 furlongs across the turf. The turf tack will be moist and slightly firm and will be listed as “Good” at post time for the running of this race. Several horses in this race on Sunday have dealt with off tracks before, but for those that have not we will be watching as to how they handle this wet turf during the course of the race. This will be a grueling test for these horses as they travel this mile and a half on Sunday, and we should see an exciting race being simulcast of the sim viewer. The morning line odds have been released and the post positions have been drawn. Let us now take a preview of the nine horses that will make the start here in Germany in the G1, German Darby.
| 1 | KOSHEEN | ENG | 3M | rx7 | V Drosos | 5 | 2 | 60% | $53,946 | 1.25 | 19/1 |
Breaking from the inside gate will be this Bay Colt (WITHOUT PAROLE x KITTEN’S JOY x GHOSTZAPPER) who showed up well his last time out running on a wet track in New South Wales on 05/12/2023. He came from way back in this race to rally down the final stretch to pick up the win by two strides with a 97 speed rating at the distance of 10 furlongs in a $45600 NW2y Allowance. The owner likes seeing his horse much improved in this start and at this longer distance than prior races. He jumps him up in class and distance for this Sunday’s start in Germany when they head out to their post draw representing the All-Stars Racing residency.
| 2 | CRIMSON TANGERINE | NZ | 3M | teakau | S Highlander | 12 | 3 | 58% | $172,949 | 5.50 | 3/1 |
Next, we will see this Bay Colt (TEN SOVEREIGNS (IRE) x I’LL HAVE ANOTHER x GHOSTZAPPER) who will be a first time starter on the wet turf. He has a few graded starts to his credit but thus far has been unable to find the boards in those graded outings. Last time out we saw this horse dropped in class on 06/03/2023 in Surrey where he would go 12 furlongs in an Owner Restricted Listed Stakes, The Mecca-Epsom Derby against a small field of four. He grabbed the lead out of the gate, but in the final stretch he would be run down and cross the wire in second with a 100 speed rating. The owner remains confident in his colt and is moving him back up in class this weekend in hope to find his first strike on the boards in a grade race. They will come out at post time and over to their gate representing The Mecca residency.
| 3 | UNUSUAL PAIRING | IRE | 3M | steppingstone | V Jennings | 16 | 5 | 56% | $285,670 | 15.31 | 7/2 |
This is a Bay Colt (DYLAN THOMAS x KING KAMEHAMEHA x MACHIAVELLIAN) who is a prior G3 winner from when he got up for the win this past December in the G3, The Santa Futurity. Since that time, he has been unable to find another hit on the boards and the owner is giving him another opportunity to get in the money here in Germany. In his most recent start, he would hit the track in Maryland on 05/20/2023 and would travel the dirt track listed as sloppy in the G3, The Jacob Hirsch. This was a 6 furlong race and the horse did not like something, and it is hard to tell if it was the distance, surface or the muddy track. He crossed the wire well back in sixth with a 90 speed rating. He returns to the turf this weekend and at a much longer distance to travel. This horse will saddle up in the paddock and make his way out to the cheers of an excited crowd.
| 4 | MAESTRO IMPACT | GB | 3G | amir1715 | B Doherty | 5 | 2 | 100% | $17,080 | 1.25 | 6/1 |
Here we have a Bay Gelding (NATHANIEL x DEEP IMPACT x UNBRIDLED) that in five career starts has never missed hitting the boards. I will note that three of these starts were in training races (Hot Races). It is also noted that two starts back in one of these training races that this horse did come in third on a track listed as good at the distance of 11 furlongs with a 103 speed rating which is his career high. Last time out this horse would be seen in Florida on 04/29/2023 going 11 furlongs in a $35400 NW3L Allowance race. He remained well back in this start and would finish in third well behind the winner with a 97 speed rating. The owner is giving his horse a big jump in class and giving him a big opportunity this Sunday to prove himself a graded contender when they make their way out at post time representing the Elite Racing Club residency.
| 5 | TEOFILIO STEVENSON | IRE | 3M | selhold5 | K Friar | 11 | 2 | 64% | $847,416 | 66.66 | 5/1 |
This is Bay Colt (TEOFILO x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY x MONTJEU) who has been running very well for the owner thus far this season never missing the boards. Two starts back he ran third in Dubai in a Listed Stakes, Dynamis Turf Memorial. He would then rest up for his most recent start in Japan on 05/21/2023 where he would go 12 furlongs in the G1, The Japanese Derby. At the third call he had briefly move into the lead, but in the final stretch he would not be able to maintain and would drift back to cross the wire in second with a 106 speed rating in his first graded start. The owner is in hope to see another big run out of his colt this Sunday and will send him out in the post parade representing the Down Under Racing residency.
| 6 | WITCHES BOWSTER | IRE | 3M | jtlracing | M Day | 5 | 1 | 40% | $50,708 | 1.00 | 12/1 |
Here we have another Bay Colt (GLENEAGLES x CAMELOT (GB) x DANSILI (GB)) with only five career starts. He broke his maiden in his third career start at 9.5 furlongs. He was then advanced to make a Listed Stakes start, Beyer Beware Turf Route at 10 furlongs of which he came in third. His most recent trip to the track would be on 05/28/2023 in Queensland where he would go 12 furlongs in the G1, Adelaide Derby. He put up a fight in this race but would come in fourth with a 96 speed rating. The owner likes the look of this young colt and is giving him another big shot at showing he can be a top contender at the distance when he is sent out at post time representing the All-Stars Racing residency.
| 7 | SASS OF THE LORD | IRE | 3M | coagulate3 | P Bangs | 8 | 2 | 37% | $64,684 | 1.53 | 11/1 |
This Bay Colt (SOTTSASS (FR) x LORD KANALOA x INTO MISCHIEF) has been struggling in some recent starts. Two starts back he was sixth in the Exeter Weapon Turf Mile. He then came out for his most recent start where he would drop down in class on 05/20/2023 going 8.5 furlongs in Ireland in a $50700 Local Allowance. He would again struggle as he ran mid pack throughout the race and crossed the wire in sixth. The owner hopes to see with more added distance this weekend that his horse will like stretching things out when they break from the gate representing the East-West Connection residency.
| 8 | CONTAKI | JPN | 3G | roberto | J Saragosa | 12 | 4 | 92% | $253,305 | 38.25 | 3/1 |
Here we have a Brown Gelding (CONTRAIL x FORTY NINER x KRIS S.) that has shown in a couple of prior starts that he can travel just fine across the wet turf. Two starts back he would go out and pick up the win on a yielding track in a Listed Stakes, Commander Jericho Turf Route. He would then come out for his most recent start on 05/28/2023 here in Germany going 11 furlongs in the G3, The Oppenheimer Reunion. He reunited with another big win by almost five lengths with a 109 speed rating. The owner would like to see his horse make it three wins in a row this weekend when he heads out at post time representing the Empire State Racing residency.
| 9 | DREAM CATASTROPHE | GB | 3G | rollsally | D Viergutz | 5 | 2 | 60% | $35,105 | 0.75 | 16/1 |
From the outside gate we have this Brown Gelding (DREAM AHEAD x CAPE CROSS x FRANKEL (GB)) who will be making his second start this weekend under new ownership. He appears to have been picked up at auction and made his début for the Gr8white master stables on 05/13/2023 in Surrey against a small field in a 9 furlong $35400 NW4x Local Allowance. He traveled well back in this race coming in third nearly 10 lengths back at the finish with a 79 speed rating. This weekend he is going to need to show much improvement from that start if he is to get a strike on the boards this time out. He has much to prove this weekend when he comes out in the post parade to the cheers of an excited crowd.
Good luck to all owners and horses!
Skippy’s Watch List
2-Crimson Tangerine: Itching for a hit on the boards in a graded race. Does he get it here?
5-Teofilio Stevenson: Ran second at the distance in G1 last time. Can he find a win this time?
8-Contaki: Does not mind wet turf. Picked up a G3 win last time. Does the wet track help him?
Tarton’s Long Shot
6-Witche’s Bowster: This horse ran fourth at this 12 furlong distance in a G1 last time we saw him on the track. His speeds have not broken the century mark yet, but that could change this weekend. He gets his favorite jockey, M Day from out of Berkshire in the saddle again for this trip. He has a lot of things going right for him, but can he step up his game this weekend in Germany. If he can this 12/1 choice in the morning line could be a surprise and make us a little money at the betting windows. Let’s see what he has to offer in this race.