Girolamo, a stablemate of defending Gran Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) champion Danedream, had his moment of glory when he won the Preis Von Europa at Cologne Sept. 23, the final group I race of the 2012 German season.
Ridden by Andrasch Starke, the German-bred 3-year-old son of Dai Jin got up in the final 50 yards to win by a half-length in a four-horse blanket finish to the 1 1/2-mile event. Feuerblitz, who had taken the lead 100 yards from home, finished second by a short head over the fast-closing Araldo, with Waldpark fourth.
Favored Ovambo Queen finished last in the field of seven.
A close third in the Deutsches Derby (Ger-I) July 1, Girolamo was coming off a well-beaten fifth behind the victorious Danedream in the Grosser Preis von Baden (Ger-I) Sept. 2.
Peter Schiergen trains Girolamo, who was able to settle mid-pack behind a solid pace set by Earl of Tinsdal. The chestnut colt advanced to third at the quarter pole and finished up strongly under pressure in the final furlong to prevail in a tight finish. It was Girolamo's second win in eight starts this year.
"He is a stayer and needs a proper pace," Schiergen said afterward, "and that he got today."
Suzanne Roberts, racing manager for the winning owners, the von Schubert family, told Racing Post: "We have never lost faith in this horse and always knew that he was capable of winning a big race."
The winner, out of the Surumu mare Golden Time, is in the Arc Sale at Saint-Cloud in October. "Obviously we shall have to discuss this now," Roberts said, "but his price has certainly gone up."
