Sea the Moon (Ger)

IFFEZHEIM, Germany--Baden-Baden, so good they named it twice. Okay, so the BBAG sales complex and its neighbouring grand racecourse may be in the small nearby village of Iffezheim but it is Baden-Baden that lends its name to the current stop on the European yearling sales tour, now that Donville is in the rear-view mirror. 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...

German Derby winner Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) is expected to return in Sunday's G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, according to Liberty Racing's Lars-Wilhlem Baumgarten. "He is very well, he worked well on Monday in the morning and he will run in the Grosser Preis von Baden on Sunday. We nominated him today for the race, we supplemented him." In his latest start, the colt finished runner-up behind Nations Pride (Ire) in the July 30 G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis - Bayerisches Zuchtrennen. "We decided against the [Irish] Champion S....

Last week this column was led by Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Now, for the same owner/breeder, Shadwell, it is the turn of Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). It was quite the boost for Newcastle's all-weather G3 Hoppings Fillies' S. that both the winner Al Husn and runner-up Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) went on to win a Group 1 on the turf on their next start. With Nashwa having won the G1 Falmouth S. in emphatic fashion, she reopposed Al Husn in attempting to defend her crown in the...

Sunday's G1 165th Henkel-Preis der Diana (German Oaks) at Dusseldorf went the way of Stall Golden Goal's G3 Hamburg Stuten-Meile scorer Muskoka (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Morning Mist {Ger}, by Peintre Celebre) as she mastered Kassada (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in the 11-furlong Classic staged in heavy rain. Stepping up in trip having won at a mile, the Henk Grewe trainee was reserved early in mid division by Lukas Delozier with stamina unproven. Reeling in Kassada in the last 100 metres, the 5-1 shot asserted to score by a...

Sea The Moon (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) powered to a wide-margin triumph underneath Hamburg's stands' side rail in the 2014 G1 Deutsches Derby and his Sarah Steinberg-trained son Fantastic Moon (Ger) ploughed the same furrow to claim a clear-cut success of his own in Sunday's latest renewal of the German highlight. The 31-5 third favourite was positioned well off the pace with just one of his 19 rivals in arrears for the most part. Inching forward on the home turn, he was sent wide into the straight to launch...

It was hard not to love the performance Selenaia (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) posted in the GIII Honeymoon S. at Santa Anita last weekend.  One man who loved it more than most was Derek Iceton of Tara Stud in County Meath. Iceton bought the dam [Dettoria (GB) (Declaration Of War)] of the Grade I-bound performer for just 12,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2018.  Dettoria is still based at Tara Stud and has a Space Blues (Ire) colt at foot. She is happily reported to be back...

Underlining the quality of TDN Rising Star Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}), Liberty Racing's Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) came out of a heavy beating in Munich's G3 Bavarian Classic by that Henk Grewe stable luminary to capture Saturday's G3 Japan Racing Association - Derby-Trial at Baden-Baden. Sent off the 8-5 favourite for the 10-furlong contest, last year's G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten winner raced a touch keenly for Rene Piechulek in a close-up second throughout the early stages. Allowed to stride to the front approaching the straight, the...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Higher Truth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GII Sheepshead Bay S. at Belmont Park on Friday.   Galileo Mare Queen Of The Bay Team Hanley, Jeff Drown and Mike Ryan's Higher Truth won the Sheepshead Bay for trainer Chad Brown (video). She was third in the 2021 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. Bred by Churchtown House Stud, the May foal brought 500,000gns from...

Gestut Ittlingen's well-regarded G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) entry Daytona Sea (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Daytona {GB}, by Motivator {GB}) was usurped at the tills for Monday's Primetec-Pokal at Hannover, but was unmatched in the 11-furlong contest and powered to 'TDN Rising Stardom' with an impressive debut triumph. She was rousted from the gates to occupy a slot along the rail in a handy third for the most part. Improving one spot off the home turn, the 29-10 second choice swooped for control approaching the final furlong and was...

Henk Grewe trainee Assistent (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Anna Kalla {Ger}, by Kallisto {Ger}) went postward for Sunday's G2 Carl Jaspers Preis at Cologne coming back off a half-length victory in Dusseldorf's Listed Grand Prix Aufgalopp on seasonal return last month and upset G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern victor Tunnes (Ire) (Guiliani {Ire}), G1 Preis der Diana second Wagnis (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up Alter Adler (Ger) (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) for a career high in the 12-furlong feature. Last year's G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Preis von...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a half-sister to GI Florida Derby hero Materiality (Afleet Alex). 18.00 Kempton, Nov, £7,000, 3yo, 10f 219y (AWT) John Gunther's homebred FLOWERS (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a Ralph Beckett-trained daughter of GII Beaumont S. and GIII Saint Ysabl S. third Wildwood Flower (Langfuhr), is a half-sister to...

A total of 78 stallions will have their nominations go under the hammer in the Tattersalls Online Charity Auction of Stallion Nominations which begins at noon on Monday, Feb. 20 and ends 24 hours later on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Organised by Oliver St. Lawrence, the charity auction benefits Giving to Ukraine and the Disasters Emergency Committee's Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal charities. There are nominations to the likes of Kodiac (GB), Nathaniel (Ire), Sea The Moon (Ger), Showcasing (GB), Sottsass (Fr), Territories (Ire), Time Test (GB), and The Grey Gatsby (Ire) among...