By Sean Cronin
Gestut Karlshof homebred Straight (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}–Seductive {Ger}, by Henrythenavigator) was back among familiar foe in Sunday's G2 Sparkasse KolnBonn-188th Union-Rennen, Germany's premier G1 Deutsches Derby trial, at Cologne and delivered a powerful performance to garner the 11-furlong feature by daylight.
Straight was steadied in rear from flagfall and was detached from his rivals through halfway. Tanking forward once into the home straight, the 46-5 chance quickened impressively to gain control entering the final furlong and powered clear of his rivals to hit the line with a five-length buffer back to G3 Bavarian Classic victor and 'TDN Rising Star' My Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}). Straight had opened up with a Dec. 3 debut tally going nine furlongs at Baden-Baden before running third upped to 10 back there for the May 20 G3 Derby Trial in his only other start last time.
The win was Andreas Wohler's fifth in the contest, his most recent being with subsequent G1 Deutsches Derby hero Laccario (Ger) (Scalo {GB}) in 2019. “He is still a big baby and has not really matured yet, but today's peformance was excellent,” the trainer said. “Eduardo Pedroza is riding in Italy today, Jozef [Bojko] had ridden him before and it was Bruno Faust's explicit wish that he was to ride the colt.” Bojko added, “I knew I was sitting on a good horse, and everything went really well for him today. He has kept improving all the time and his last fast work was really good, so I had a good feeling that he would run a good race.” Karlshof's Holger Faust continued, “We were really relaxed before the race and planned to give him as easy a race as possible by holding him up and making use of his speed. We now have a good feeling for [the G1 Deutsches Derby at] Hamburg, but the Derby is one hell of a mad race.”
Pedigree Notes
Straight is the eighth pattern-race winner for his sire (by Dubawi {Ire}). Produced by a daughter of G1 Premio Lydia Tesio victrix Sortilege (Ire) (Tiger Hill {Ire}), he is a half to the unraced 2-year-old colt Star Striker (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a yearling colt by Brametot (Ire) and a weanling colt by Counterattack (Aus). His dam Seductive (Ger) (Henrythenavigator) is a winning half-sister to last year's G3 Premio Guido Berardelli victor Sirjan (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}). The March-foaled homebred bay's third dam Sahel (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) is a full-sister to the G1 Deutsches Derby-winning pair Samum (Ger) and Schiaparelli (Ger) and G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) heroine and G1 Deutsches Derby second Salve Regina {Ger}). Sanwa (Ger), another full-sister, is the dam of G1 Deutsches Derby hero Sea The Moon (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) while her descendants include this year's G2 Derby Italiano winner Goldenas (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}).
Sunday, Cologne, Germany
SPARKASSE KOLNBONN – 188TH UNION-RENNEN-G2, €70,000, Cologne, 6-11, 3yo, 11fT, 2:11.86, gd.
1–STRAIGHT (GER), 128, c, 3, by Zarak (Fr)
1st Dam: Seductive (Ger), by Henrythenavigator
2nd Dam: Sortilege (Ire), by Tiger Hill (Ire)
3rd Dam: Sahel (Ger), by Monsun (Ger)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€40,000 RNA Ylg '21 BBAGS). O/B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Andreas Wohler; J-Jozef Bojko. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, €52,000. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mr Hollywood (Ire), 128, c, 3, Iquitos (Ger)–Margie's Music (Fr), by Hurricane Run (Ire). (€15,000 Ylg '21 BBAGS). O-Wanja Soren Oberhof & Sebastian Weiss; B-Gestut Ammerland (GER); T-Henk Grewe. €15,500.
3–Nachtgeist (Ire), 128, c, 3, Highland Reel (Ire)–Neele (Ire), by Peintre Celebre. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Stall Nizza; B-Ursula & Jurgen Imm (IRE); T-Waldemar Hickst. €8,000.
Margins: 5, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 9.20, 1.90, 38.20.
Also Ran: Napolitano (Ire), Skylo (Ger), Aspirant (Ger), Weracruz (Ger), I Fight For Lips (Ger), Vintage Moon (Ger).
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