So Nice They Named It Twice

SO NICE THEY NAMED IT TWICE 
By Kelsey Riley 
A town, “so nice, you have to name it twice,” enthused Bill Clinton upon a visit to Baden-Baden, and indeed he was correct. Baden-Baden–which this week plays host to the international horse racing community for tomorrow’s BBAG yearling sale–is perhaps Germany’s answer to Deauville, France or Saratoga Springs. Its winding maze of cobblestone streets are home to many a luxurious shop and gourmet restaurant, not to mention the famous Kurhaus & Casino, and some of the spas it has become renowned for–The Friedrichsbad and the Caracalla Therme. 
“Baden” is German for “spa”, and Baden-Baden was named for its famous springs more than 2000 years ago. The town is situated in the German state of Baden-Wurttemburg in southwestern Germany close to the French border, a location that eases the transportation of horses between the two countries. Baden-Baden has a population of close to 53,000, but swells with Thoroughbred enthusiasts late each August for the racing and sales. These events do not actually take place in Baden-Baden, however–that honor goes to the tiny town of Iffezheim some eight miles down the road. 
Here we have the Iffezheim Racecourse, with the sales grounds as its backyard. Like Baden-Baden itself, I was warned that the racecourse is beautiful, and like Clinton, those who warned me were proven correct. Saturday’s racecard, which featured the G3 Preis Der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe, won by the 4-year-old Dubawi (Ire) filly Nausica Time (Ger), drew a sizable crowd to the racecourse under sunny skies, and amazingly, the crowd appeared to stay on for Sunday despite the deteriorating weather. A brief stroll around the racecourse revealed that there is truly something for everyone here, and the customers are well catered for (this point was proven Saturday when the elevator to the press box broke down. We barely had time to resent to stair climbs for the remainder of the weekend when, voila, it was fixed within two hours). 
Saturday was ‘ladies day’ at the racecourse, and thus, numerous hat stands figured amongst the variety of makeshift shops scattered across the grounds. There were pony rides for the youngsters situated, conveniently, not far from the most elaborate candy stand I have ever seen. You didn’t have to be long at the racecourse, either, to realize it is a dog-friendly facility. And indeed, man’s best friends of all shapes and sizes were out in droves. 
Yesterday was the first official show day for the sales yearlings, and those who flocked out were greeted with unwelcome blasts of rain throughout the morning. This did not discourage a sizable international contingent from catching their first glances at the cream of the German crop, however, and many consignors noted their surprise at the number of visitors already in town. Those out looking at yearlings yesterday had flown in from all four corners of the globe, including George Strawbridge, alongside agent John McCormack; Fred and Freddy Seitz of Brookdale Farm in Kentucky, who purchased two yearlings here last year; Irish agent Peter Doyle, agent Ric Wylie from New Zealand, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Mark Richards and German trainers Andreas Wohler and Peter Schiergen. The international contingent is expected to grow today, so stay tuned for tomorrow’s sale preview.