Rebel's Romance brings three-race winning streak into Preis von Europa at Cologne

One horse with designs on the Breeders’ Cup Turf and another whose most recent start came in the Breeders’ Cup Turf are among seven entered in the Group 1 Preis von Europa on Sunday at Cologne Racecourse in Germany.

Rebel’s Romance, trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, could punch his ticket to the BC Turf at Keeneland if he runs his winning streak to four in the Preis von Europa. Four-year-old Rebel’s Romance didn’t race on turf until his eighth start, having made his first seven starts on all-weather tracks in England and dirt tracks in the Middle East.

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Finally switched to turf this summer, he has gone 3 for 3, most recently capturing his first Group 1 in the Grosser Preis von Berlin on Aug. 22 at Hoppgarten. In that 1 1/2-mile contest, Rebel’s Romance was home by just a neck over 3-year-old Nerik, but gave his younger rival 10 pounds.

Nerik had been fifth of 20 this summer in the German Derby, and on Sunday, Rebel’s Romance must cope with the German Derby winner, Sammarco. Sammarco followed his German Derby win with a Group 1 score in his first race against older horses, and most recently was a creditable third in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden behind improving 4-year-old Mendocino and 2021 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Torquator Tasso. Sammarco benefits from getting six pounds Sunday from his older male rivals.

Sisfahan finished third when the top-class mare Alpinista won the 2021 Preis von Europa, then went on to the BC Turf at Del Mar, where he finished seventh of 14. Sisfahan hasn’t raced since but has run well before coming back from shorter layoffs.

Commissioning much best in Rockfel

Commissioning followed up on a sharp debut win with an even better performance Friday at Newmarket, storming to a 2 3/4-length victory in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes, a straight seven-furlong contest for 2-year-old fillies.

The Rockfel is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, offering the winner a fees-paid entry into the Juvenile Fillies Turf, and co-trainer John Gosden’s post-race comments suggested Commissioning could wind up at Keeneland in November. Also under consideration for Commissioning is the Group 1 Fillies Mike on Oct. 8 at Newmarket. Gosden sent Juliet Capulet to the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar in 2017 after the filly won the Rockfel, and said her seventh-place finish there resulted from Juliet Capulet failing to stay a mile.

One mile should be well within Commissioning’s range, as she was pulling away from 13 rivals on Friday while going to the finish through the final uphill section of the Rockel. Racing from fifth or six in the early stages under Robert Havelin, Commissioning split rivals with about a quarter-mile to run and won comfortably despite racing somewhat greenly and drifting off her line through the final furlong.

Commissioning is by Kingman, whom Gosden trained, and out of the Galileo mare Sovereign Parade, also trained by Gosden through a two-start career in 2016.

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