Frankel's Darkaniya Prevails In Baden-Baden Feature

Francis-Henri Graffard trainee Darkaniya (Fr) (Frankel {GB}–Daryakana {Fr}, by Selkirk), who ran fifth in last month's G1 Prix Jean-Romanet, added to a first black-type win in July's Listed Prix de la Pepiniere and doubled a her stakes tally with victory in Saturday's G2 T von Zastrow Stutenpreis at Baden-Baden.

The 9-5 favourite lobbed along in seventh passing the judge first time and bounded forward to stalk the leaders in fourth along the backstraight. Inching into second rounding the home turn, she was shaken to to seize control appoaching the final furlong and stayed on strongly under a late drive to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths from Kolossal (Ger) (Outstrip {GB}). Sophomore filly North Reliance (Ger) (Reliable Man {GB}) fared best of the remainder and finished a half-length back in third.

“I allowed her time to find her feet at first,” explained winning rider Bauyrzhan Murzabayev after notching a first pattern-race win in Germany for His Highness The Aga Khan since Kartajana (Ire) (Shernazar {Ire}) annexed 1991's G1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich. “There was absolutely no pace, but that did not really matter as she does not tend to pull. I sent her forward in the final turn and soon realized that Kolossal was my main opponent. She fought gamely and ran on well although I might have hit the front a little too soon.”

Pedigree Notes

Darkaniya is the seventh of 10 foals and one of five winners from as many runners produced by G1 Hong Kong Vase victrix and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud third Daryakana (Fr) (Selkirk). The February-foaled homebred, whose dam is a daughter of G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Daryaba (Ire) (Night Shift), is a half-sister to G1 Prix Ganay-winning sire Dariyan (Fr) (Shamardal) and GII Knickerbocker S. and GIII Monmouth S. winner Devamani (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}). She is also kin to stakes-winning G3 Prix Fille de l'Air third Dariyza (Fr) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine victor Darabad (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), the unraced 2-year-old filly Darylakha (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Sea The Stars (Ire).

Saturday, Baden-Baden, Germany
T VON ZASTROW STUTENPREIS-G2, €70,000, Baden-Baden, 9-2, 3yo/up, f/m, 12fT, 2:37.86, gd.
1–DARKANIYA (FR), 131, f, 4, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Daryakana (Fr) (G1SW-HK, GSW & G1SP-Fr, $1,372,923), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Daryaba (Ire), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Darata (Ire), by Vayrann (Ire)
1ST GROUP WIN. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €40,000. Lifetime Record: SW-Fr, 10-4-0-1, €116,430. *1/2 to Dariyan (Fr) (Shamardal), G1SW-Fr, G1SP-HK & GSP-UAE, $872,592; Devamani (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), MGSW-US, $560,208; Dariyza (Fr) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), SW & GSP-Fr; and Darabad (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), SW-Fr, $145,558. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kolossal (Ger), 131, m, 5, Outstrip (GB)–Kolosseum (Ger), by Samum (Ger). (€22,000 Ylg '19 BBAGS). O-Stall Blue Diamond; B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Carmen Bocskai. €15,500.
3–North Reliance (Ger), 123, f, 3, Reliable Man (GB)–North Queen (Ire), by Desert King (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Michael Wachowitz; B-Gestut Wittekindshof (GER); T-Marcel Weiss. €8,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, NK. Odds: 1.80, 4.90, 28.80.
Also Ran: Drawn To Dream (Ire), Weracruz (Ger), Princess Zelda (Ger), Mythicara (Ire), Ultima (Ger), View Zabeel (Ire).

T.v.Zastrow Stutenpreis (G2)
2.400 m – 70.000 EUR – for 3yo+ mares
Baden-Baden

Darkaniya (FR)
(4M Frankel- Daryakana , by Selkirk)
J :@BauyrzhanBauy1
T : @GraffardRacing
O : @AgaKhanStuds pic.twitter.com/p5T8pQ18mX

— (@WorldRacing1) September 2, 2023