Schiaparelli heads top German race

German Derby winner Schiaparelli heads a field of eight in Sunday's Group 1, $925,000 Grosser Preis von Baden at Iffezheim Racecourse in Germany, a race that will not include Shirocco.

Last year's Breeders' Cup Turf winner, Shirocco has passed on the Grosser Preis von Baden because his trainer, Andre Fabre, convinced owner Baron Georg von Ullmann that a run in next Sunday's Prix Foy at Longchamp would better prepare Shirocco for his Oct. 1 date in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Shirocco will face defending Arc champ Hurricane Run in the Prix Foy.

In his absence, Schiaparelli is selected to take his revenge on Donaldson, who beat Schiaparelli in the Group 1 Deutschland-Preis by three quarters of a length on June 25. Schiaparelli came back July 23 and won the German Derby by three quarters of a length over Dickens, who returns in the Grosser Preis von Baden. Also returning are Oriental Tiger and Saddex, the third- and fourth-place finishers in the German Derby.

Fracas, second in the Group 1 Rheinland-Pokal in his season debut Aug. 13, ships in from Ireland for trainer David Wachman. Fracas should revel the soft ground and stands the best chance of an upset.