Ivanhowe, the winner of the Group 2 Oppenheim Union-Rennen in Cologne on June 16, will be favored to win his first Group 1 in Sunday’s $640,000 German Derby at Hamburg.
Trained by Wilhelm Giedt, Ivanhowe, a German-bred colt by Soldier Hollow, won the Union-Rennen at 1 3/8 miles on turf as the 9-5 favorite by 2 1/2 lengths over Empoli. Cristian Demuro has the mount on Ivanhowe in the German Derby, which is run at 1 1/2 miles on turf for colts and fillies.
At the beginning of this year, 5-year-old Al Kazeem never had even started in a Group 1 race, but in Saturday’s Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park in England, Al Kazeem attempts to win his third straight Group 1 while cementing his position as a leading middle-distance horse in Europe.
Seven were entered in the 1 1/4-mile Eclipse. Miblish appears overmatched, and 3-year-old Mars would require a major forward move to contend, but Declaration of War, Mukhadram, Pastorius, and The Fugue all rate a chance.
English invader Havana Gold rallied to capture the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday for jockey Mickael Barzalona and trainer Richard Hannon, as the favored Style Vendome failed to follow through on his victory in the French 2000 Guineas, finishing fourth.
Havana Gold started his season with a second to stablemate Toronado in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket, then finished fifth of 18 in Style Vendome’s French 2000 Guineas, and could only muster a fourth-place finish last out in the Irish 2000 Guineas.
Trading Leather further muddled the overseas 3-year-old hierarchy with a mild upset in the Group 1, $896,511 Irish Derby on Saturday at The Curragh. The heavily favored Ruler of The World, the Epsom Derby winner, mustered no rally and finished fifth, while the well-regarded Libertarian, purchased by Godolphin after his runner-up finish at Epsom, was even less effective, coming home a meek eighth of nine.
Style Vendome, who beat 17 3-year-olds winning the Group 1 Prix d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) in his most recent start, will have 11 opponents Sunday at Chantilly when he seeks a second straight Group 1 victory in the Prix Jean Prat.
Although revenue for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association dropped 23 percent in fiscal year 2013, the association managed to generate excess cash of $66,851, compared with a loss of $598,927 in the previous fiscal year, according to financial statements included as part of the association’s annual report released on Thursday.
Ruler of The World and Libertarian, the first two finishers of the Group 1 English Derby at Epsom Downs on June 1, will have a rematch in Saturday’s $1,625,000 Irish Derby at The Curragh.
For the Group 1 Irish Derby, Libertarian has a new owner.
A colt by New Approach, Libertarian was purchased privately by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing after the English Derby. A winner of 2 of 4 starts, Libertarian has remained with trainer Elaine Burke for the Irish Derby.
Novellist was a top 3-year-old in Germany last year, winning two group stakes in that country and finishing second in the German Derby. He later won a Group 1 race in Italy.
This year, Novellist is running successfully in tougher races in western Europe. On Sunday, Novellist made his first start in France, winning the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud against a strong field.
Improving 4-year-old Lethal Force won the first Group 1 race of his career on the last day of the 2013 Royal Ascot meeting, dashing to a convincing victory in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on Saturday in England.
The meeting’s final card was marred by the death of 4-year-old Thomas Chippendale, who collapsed and died just after winning the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes. A heart attack was suspected in the colt’s sudden demise.
Sunday’s $524,000 Grand Prix de Saint Cloud in France has a strong field of 11 older horses led by the 13-time stakes winner Cirrus des Aigles.
Unraced since finishing second to the undefeated superstar Frankel in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot last October, the 7-year-old Cirrus des Aigles will try to win his third Group 1 race in the last 15 months in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud. In early 2012, Cirrus des Aigles won consecutive Group 1 races in the $5 million Sheema Classic in Dubai and the Prix Ganay at Longchamp.
