According to the bookmakers the former Derby Italiano winner Dylan Mouth will enter the Grosse Preis von Baden as slight favourite, still German horses like Nightflower, Iquitos or the three-year-olds Serienholde and Boscaccio do not have to hide.
Dylan Mouth, who is trained by the Italian Marco Botti in Newmarket, won the 2014 Derby Italiano and three other Group 1 races, all of them in Italy against quite poor opposition. The son of Dylan Thomas has not proven international class yet, his three starts outside Italy where disappointing, he ended only tenth in his most recent race, the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 3. His record of twelve victories out of sixteen races is quite impressive though.
Andreas Wöhler's star horse Protectionist will run in the Prix Foy, but with Serienholde Wöhler has another very promising candidate available. The daughter of Soldier Hollow became only runner-up in Baden Baden as a two-year-old, but won all three starts in 2016, crowned by her victory in the Preis der Diana, the German Oaks. She won her last two races in Düsseldorf against the track bias, what makes her even more interesting.
Obviously also the three-year-old German males will attract interest in the Grosse Preis von Baden too. Dschingis Secret, also a Soldier Hollow descendant, got beaten only by half a length on heavy ground in the German Derby. He had proven his class earlier when displayed tremendous speed on the stretch in the Oppenheim-Union-Rennen. He will only start, if the ground gets soft, which is pretty unlikely at present.
Boscaccio had actually been the clear favourite in the German Derby. And as the ground will be a lot faster on Sunday than it was in the Derby, this son of Mount Nelson should be on the short list.
For Boscaccio and Dschingis Secret the Grosse Preis von Baden will be the first race since the German Derby on July 10.
Peter Schiergen's Nightflower became runner-up in the 2015 Grosse Preis von Baden and gave a great but unlucky performance in the 2015 Japan Cup afterwards. The daughter of Dylan Thomas did not do very well in the first half of 2016, still looked well improved when came second to Protectionist in the Grosse Preis von Berlin despite of a very slow race. She also holds an entry for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Quite surprisingly the Grosse Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft was won by Iquitos. Who thought that this was only an one hit wonder got disabused in the Hansa Preis, where the son of Adlerflug was only beaten by Protectionist.
Pagella, another daughter of Soldier Hollow, finished only a neck behind Serienholde in Baden Baden last year and was only narrowly beaten in Berlin's Diana trial. She became seventh in the Preis der Diana, but as she is also coming from behind, the track in Düsseldorf did not suit her.
Two other German horses will take part in the Grosse Preis von Baden.
In his very first race Guignol had beaten the later 2015 German Derby winner Nutan, but did not satisfy expectations since.
Wasir is Andreas Wöhler's second starter, from the front of the field he will probably ensure a decent pace. Wasir usually runs on distances around 3000 meters and only once started above Group 3 level, when got eleventh in the Ascot Gold Cup. Due to a recent third place in the American St. Leger he got supplemented for the Grosse Preis von Baden.
Meandre will be the most famous horse in the race. The 2011 Grand Prix de Paris winner has been all over the planet, including a third place in the 2013 Grosse Preis von Baden. The eight-year-old grey has not run on the highest level within the last two years, but most recently won the Grand Prix Slovakia.
Tiberian attracted attention when became runner-up in the Prix Chaudenay (Group 2) last year, but disappointed since. He was even behind Wasir in the above mentioned Ascot Gold Cup.
The Grosse Preis von Baden is the highest classified race for thoroughbreds in Germany, it was first run in 1858. The winner is qualified for the Breeders' Cup Turf and the Japan Cup.
Grosser Preis von Baden 2016
September 4, 2016 - 2,400 metres, Iffezheim, Germany -- Ground: Soft| Pl. | Dist. | Age | Kg | Trainer | Jockey | Odds | |
| 1. | Iquitos | 4 | 60,0 | H.-J. Gröschel | I. Ferguson | 7,9 | |
| 2. | 2 3/4 | Nightflower | 4 | 58,5 | P. Schiergen | A. Starke | 5,2 |
| 3. | 5 | Pagella | 3 | 54,5 | J. Hirschberger | A. Pietsch | 18,7 |
| 4. | 2 1/2 | Tiberian | 4 | 60,0 | A. Couetil | T. Jarnet | 18,4 |
| 5. | 1/2 | Serienholde | 3 | 54,5 | A. Wöhler | E. Pedroza | 4,0 |
| 6. | 1 1/4 | Meandre | 8 | 60,0 | A. Shavuyev | F. Veron | 16,6 |
| 7. | 3/4 | Dylan Mouth | 5 | 60,0 | M. Botti | A. Atzeni | 7,3 |
| 8. | 1/2 | Wasir | 4 | 60,0 | A. Wöhler | M. Cadeddu | 15,2 |
| 9. | 6 1/2 | Dschingis Secret | 3 | 56,0 | M. Klug | A. de Vries | 5,7 |
| 10. | 61 | Boscaccio | 3 | 56,0 | C. Sprengel | D. Schiergen | 5,6 |
| NR | Guignol | 4 | 60,0 | J.-P. Carvalho | F. Minarik |
Preview September 1, 2016
2014 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist would have been the horse to beat in the 144th Grosse Preis von Baden, his absence guarantees at least a well balanced and exciting race. It is not really the cream of the international horse racing scene that will meat in Baden Baden and the fact that the German three-year-old generation will face the older horses for the first time makes this race even more difficult to predict.According to the bookmakers the former Derby Italiano winner Dylan Mouth will enter the Grosse Preis von Baden as slight favourite, still German horses like Nightflower, Iquitos or the three-year-olds Serienholde and Boscaccio do not have to hide.
Dylan Mouth, who is trained by the Italian Marco Botti in Newmarket, won the 2014 Derby Italiano and three other Group 1 races, all of them in Italy against quite poor opposition. The son of Dylan Thomas has not proven international class yet, his three starts outside Italy where disappointing, he ended only tenth in his most recent race, the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 3. His record of twelve victories out of sixteen races is quite impressive though.
Andreas Wöhler's star horse Protectionist will run in the Prix Foy, but with Serienholde Wöhler has another very promising candidate available. The daughter of Soldier Hollow became only runner-up in Baden Baden as a two-year-old, but won all three starts in 2016, crowned by her victory in the Preis der Diana, the German Oaks. She won her last two races in Düsseldorf against the track bias, what makes her even more interesting.
Obviously also the three-year-old German males will attract interest in the Grosse Preis von Baden too. Dschingis Secret, also a Soldier Hollow descendant, got beaten only by half a length on heavy ground in the German Derby. He had proven his class earlier when displayed tremendous speed on the stretch in the Oppenheim-Union-Rennen. He will only start, if the ground gets soft, which is pretty unlikely at present.
Boscaccio had actually been the clear favourite in the German Derby. And as the ground will be a lot faster on Sunday than it was in the Derby, this son of Mount Nelson should be on the short list.
For Boscaccio and Dschingis Secret the Grosse Preis von Baden will be the first race since the German Derby on July 10.
Peter Schiergen's Nightflower became runner-up in the 2015 Grosse Preis von Baden and gave a great but unlucky performance in the 2015 Japan Cup afterwards. The daughter of Dylan Thomas did not do very well in the first half of 2016, still looked well improved when came second to Protectionist in the Grosse Preis von Berlin despite of a very slow race. She also holds an entry for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Quite surprisingly the Grosse Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft was won by Iquitos. Who thought that this was only an one hit wonder got disabused in the Hansa Preis, where the son of Adlerflug was only beaten by Protectionist.
Pagella, another daughter of Soldier Hollow, finished only a neck behind Serienholde in Baden Baden last year and was only narrowly beaten in Berlin's Diana trial. She became seventh in the Preis der Diana, but as she is also coming from behind, the track in Düsseldorf did not suit her.
Two other German horses will take part in the Grosse Preis von Baden.
In his very first race Guignol had beaten the later 2015 German Derby winner Nutan, but did not satisfy expectations since.
Wasir is Andreas Wöhler's second starter, from the front of the field he will probably ensure a decent pace. Wasir usually runs on distances around 3000 meters and only once started above Group 3 level, when got eleventh in the Ascot Gold Cup. Due to a recent third place in the American St. Leger he got supplemented for the Grosse Preis von Baden.
Meandre will be the most famous horse in the race. The 2011 Grand Prix de Paris winner has been all over the planet, including a third place in the 2013 Grosse Preis von Baden. The eight-year-old grey has not run on the highest level within the last two years, but most recently won the Grand Prix Slovakia.
Tiberian attracted attention when became runner-up in the Prix Chaudenay (Group 2) last year, but disappointed since. He was even behind Wasir in the above mentioned Ascot Gold Cup.
The Grosse Preis von Baden is the highest classified race for thoroughbreds in Germany, it was first run in 1858. The winner is qualified for the Breeders' Cup Turf and the Japan Cup.
