Gestut Gorlsdorf's Sea The Moon will bid to keep his perfect record intact in the Deutsches Derby (Ger-I, German Derby) July 6 at Hamburg.
The homebred colt, from the first crop of 2009 Horse of the Year Sea The Stars, is unbeaten in three career starts. He was a convincing winner of his two outings this season for trainer Markus Klug, taking a group III at Frankfurt May 11 and stamping himself the leading contender for the German Derby with a three-length triumph in the Oppenheim-Union-Rennen (Ger-II) June 1 at Cologne.
"This is a big test for him, but he has done everything well at home and will enjoy the extra furlong," Klug told England's Press Association. "The ground at Hamburg is good, but there is rain forecast and that will be even better for our horse."
Sea The Moon is to face 19 rivals in the German Derby, including supplementary entrants Geoffrey Chaucer, trained by Aidan O'Brien for Coolmore and partners, and Pinzolo, a Godolphin runner trained by Charlie Appleby.
A son of Montjeu, Geoffrey Chaucer was last of 16 in the June 7 Investec Epsom Derby (Eng-I) after he was hampered and eventually eased through the final quarter mile. Prior to that, he was impeded in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial (Ire-III) and finished third in the May 11 race at Leopardstown.
Pinzolo did not handle the fast ground at Epsom and finished 14th. He emerged in good shape, so the decision was made to supplement the Monsun colt for the German Derby.
Other contenders include Lucky Lion, a High Chaparral colt who won the Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (Ger-II, German Two Thousand Guineas) and is seeking a fourth consecutive win; Magic Artist, a son of Iffraaj who scored by 3 1/2 lengths in the Bravarian Classic (Ger-III) June 9 at Munich; and Wild Chief, a Doyen colt who was fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club (Fr-I)
Deutsches Derby (Ger-I, German Derby), 3YO, 2,400 meters (about 1 12 miles), turf
No. PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer
1. 3. Lucky Lion, I. Mendizabal, A. Lowe.
2. 15. Sea The Moon, C. Soumillon, M.Klug
3. 13. Magic Artist, D. Probert, W. Figge
4. 14. Wild Chief, F. Lefebvre, J. Hirschberger
5. 16. Geoffrey Chaucer, R. L. Moore, A.P. O'Brien
6. 19. Swacadelic, F. Minarik, J. P.Carvalho
7. 10. Born To Run, M. J. Dwyer, R. Dzubasz
8. 5. Speedy Approach, E. Pedroza, A.Wöhler
9. 11. Pinzolo, W. Buick, C. Appleby
10. 6. Madurai, A. Pietsch, W. Hickst
11. 9. Weltmacht, T. P. Queally, M. Klug
12. 17. Chartbreaker, C. Demuro, A.Wohler
13. 18. Giant's Cauldron, A. de Vries, P. Schiergen
14. 12. Amazonit, H. Bentley, J. Hirschberger
15. 7. Karltheodor, M. J. Lane, R. Dzubasz
16. 20. Open your Heart, M. Demuro, R. Dzubasz
17. 1. Russian Bolero, J. Bojko, A. Wohler
18. 4. Baltic Storm, F. Tylicki, J. D. Hillis
19. 8. Eric, S. Hellyn, C. F. Recke
20. 2. Amorous Adventure, M. Pecheur, K. Demme
All to carry 127 pounds.
