By Sean Cronin
Gestut Park Wiedingen's homebred 3-year-old colt Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}–Saloon Sold {Ger}, by Soldier Hollow {GB}) outpointed subsequent sales-race winner Alaska Tiger (Ire) (Maxios {GB}) by a neck when annexing his Oct. 30 debut over 7 1/2 furlongs at Halle in his lone juvenile start and came back this term to finish second behind subsequent G2 Prix Hocquart third Lavello (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) in Munich's May 1 G3 Bavarian Classic last time. The April-foaled bay enjoyed considerable support as the 14-5 second favourite for Monday's G2 Sparkasse KolnBonn – 187th Union-Rennen, Germany's premier trial for next month's G1 Deutsches Derby, and delivered on earlier promise to earn a tilt at that Classic with a narrow victory in the Weidenpescher venue's feature. The eventual winner was reined back after a sharp getaway and tracked a solid tempo in third as Bavarian Classic third and fourth Maraseem (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and So Moonstruck (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) raced up ahead along the backstraight. Bustled along as 17-10 pick So Moonstruck was sent to the front approaching the final quarter mile, he made continued headway to join that rival entering the final furlong and stayed on in game fashion to prevail by a head in a head-bobbing finish, with the duo six lengths clear of the remainder.
“Sammarco may only be small in stature, but he is all heart,” insisted winning rider Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. “The pace was good for him, which allowed him to gallop freely, so I had a good feeling all the way around.” Winning trainer Peter Schiergen added, “We were hoping he might be placed in the first three, but he won and that's even better. There's a good four-plus weeks to the [G1 Deutsches] Derby, so we have enough time to get him ready for the big day.”
Sammarco, who becomes the 30th pattern-race winner for his sire (by Montjeu {Ire}), is the first of three foals produced by Listed Winterkonigin-Trial third Saloon Sold (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), herself a granddaughter of Listed Baden-Baden Cup victrix Salonblue (Ire) (Bluebird). The latter's progeny list includes Listed Melbourne Cup Day Plate victor Salon Soldier (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), GSP Listed Junioren-Preis victrix Salonlove (Ger) (Lawman {Fr}) and Listed Premio Tadolina winner Monblue (GB) (Monsun {Ger}). She is also the second dam of Listed Preis der Baden-Badener Hotellerie & Gastronomie winner Serena (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). Salonblue is kin to G3 Curragh Cup victor Peppertree Lane (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and stakes-winning G3 Preis der Deutschen Einheit second Salonhonor (Ger) (Highest Honor {Fr}). Another of Salonblue's siblings, Salontasche (Ger) (Dashing Blade {GB}), has four stakes performers to her credit headed by multiple stakes-winning G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) runner-up Sarandia (Ger) (Dansili {GB}) and G3 Bavarian Classic victor Saphir (Ger) (Black Sam Bellamy {Ire}). Sammarco's fourth dam is G2 German 1000 Guineas third Salonrolle (Ire) (Tirol {Ire}). Saloon Sold has the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Salon Starlet (Ger) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) and a yearling colt by Areion (Ger) to come.
Monday, Cologne, Germany
SPARKASSE KOLNBONN – 187TH UNION-RENNEN-G2, €70,000, Cologne, 6-6, 3yo, 11fT, 2:19.12, g/s.
1–SAMMARCO (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Saloon Sold (Ger) (SP-Ger), by Soldier Hollow (GB)
2nd Dam: Saloon Rum (Ger), by Spectrum (Ire)
3rd Dam: Salonblue (Ire), by Bluebird
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€120,000 RNA Ylg '20 BBAGS). O/B-Gestut Park Wiedingen (IRE); T-Peter Schiergen; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €55,000. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–So Moonstruck (Ger), 128, c, 3, Sea The Moon (Ger)–So Smart (Ger), by Selkirk. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Gestut Schlenderhan (GER); T-Markus Klug. €15,500.
3–Alessio (Ger), 128, c, 3, Teofilo (Ire)–Alandia (Ire), by Adlerflug (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Gestut Ittlingen; B-Gestut Hof Ittlingen (GER); T-Andreas Wohler. €8,000.
Margins: HD, 6, 3. Odds: 2.80, 1.70, 7.00.
Also Ran: Maraseem (Ire), Schwarzer Peter (Ger), Angelino (Ger), Bemer (Fr). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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