BBAG

IFFEZHEIM, Germany--Baden-Baden, so good they named it twice. Okay, so the BBAG sales complex and its neighbouring grand racecourse may be in the small nearby village of Iffezheim but it is Baden-Baden that lends its name to the current stop on the European yearling sales tour, now that Donville is in the rear-view mirror. The caravan rolls on, and it is always wise to stay on for a few days in Baden-Baden if time allows as, whether you're a pedigree purist or you simply enjoy a good day out at...

The BBAG August online auction wrapped with two of the top lots destined for England while a third would be exchanging hands to Swiss customers. Lot 56, the group-placed Western Soldier (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), achieved the highest auction price at €62,000 and went the way of Christian Freiherr von der Recke in a long bidding duel with five bidders from three countries; England to be his new home. The same buyer also went to €60,000 for lot 38, the stakes-placed Quality Road (Ger) (Aerion {Ger}), who will also be...

The Classic-placed Dhangadhi (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (lot 16) is one of 53 horses catalogued for the BBAG August Online Sale which runs from Aug. 16 to Aug. 18. The full-brother to listed winner and group-placed Dibujaba (Ger) and the G2 German 1000 Guineas third Dishina (Ger) holds entries to several auction races. The stakes-placed colt Quality Road (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) (lot 38), who has been entered in the G3 St Leger and G1 Preis von Europa, is also part of the sale, as is lot 56, Western Soldier (Ger)...

A 235-strong catalogue, featuring a Guiliani (Ire) half-sister to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Tromphe hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and a full to Group 1 hero Tunnes (Ger) (lot 75), was revealed for the BBAG Yearling Sale on Saturday. Set for Baden-Baden at 10 a.m. on Sept. 1, the sale boasts an additional 37 full- or half-siblings to group winners, with 51% of the yearlings catalogued out of black-type dams or dams who are siblings to black-type horses. Some of other lots of note include lot 44, a...

Sea The Moon (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) powered to a wide-margin triumph underneath Hamburg's stands' side rail in the 2014 G1 Deutsches Derby and his Sarah Steinberg-trained son Fantastic Moon (Ger) ploughed the same furrow to claim a clear-cut success of his own in Sunday's latest renewal of the German highlight. The 31-5 third favourite was positioned well off the pace with just one of his 19 rivals in arrears for the most part. Inching forward on the home turn, he was sent wide into the straight to launch...

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...

Juvenile filly Salon Starlet (Ger) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) (lot 39), a half-sister to 2022 G1 German Derby hero Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), brought a bid of €72,000 from Florent Fonteyne to top the BBAG August Online Sale. The pair are out of the stakes-placed Saloon Sold (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), herself out of a half-sister to three black-type winners. ITC Bloodstock snapped up winning Swedish-trained mares Uchchaihshravas (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) (lot 12), from the family of G1 Racing Post Trophy runner-up Van Der Neer (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), and...

The catalogue for the BBAG Yearling Sale is now online. Featuring 224 yearlings--38 of which are full- or half-siblings to group winners--one of the most intriguing lots is an Areion (Ger) half-brother to this year's G1 Deutsches Derby hero Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) as lot 157 from Gestut Park Wiedingen. Three other lots are full- or half-siblings to Group 1 winners, with lot 58, a Gestut Fahrhof-consigned Frankel (GB) half-brother to Potemkin (Ger) (New Approach {Ire}); lot 134 is a full-brother to G1 German Oaks heroine Diamanta (Ger) (Maxios {GB})...

Last term's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}--Tijuana {Ger}, by Toylsome {GB}) could manage only sixth when contesting Baden-Baden's May 29 G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft on seasonal return last time and bounced back in style to claim a second straight edition of Saturday's G2 wettstar.de Grosser Hansa-Preis at Hamburg. The 13-10 favourite raced third passing the judge first time and remained in that slot for the most part. Sent forward on the turn to go second into the home straight, he drifted...

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...

Friday's BBAG Mixed Breeze-Up Sale featured 89 lots, and it was the 2021 G3 Kalkmann Fruhjahrs-Meile hero Zavaro (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) (lot 64) who took top honours at €52,000. Knocked down to Stall Villa Medici, he was a member of the Gestut Ohlerweiherhof draft. From the extended family of Group 1 winners Intense Focus (Giant's Causeway) and Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy), the 5-year-old was most recently seen running second in Thursday's G2 Kronimus Badener Meile. Second on the buyers' sheets was the Gestut Brummerhof-consigned Promised (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire})...

BBAG's Spring Auction catalogue is now online. Conducted as part of the three-day spring race meeting from May 26-29, the sale will feature 69 lots on May 27. There are 27 2-year-olds set to go through the ring, as well as 39 racehorses aged three years and above, a pair of broodmares and one yearling. Iffezheim Racecourse will host the breezers, which will take place at 9:30 a.m. one day prior to the sale on May 26. Bidding will begin at 11 a.m. on May 27.