Waltzing Queen Dances Around Arlington

Gestut Schlenderhan's Walzerkoenigin, the lone European invader for Saturday's Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT), breezed five furlongs in 1:06 3/5 with the "dogs" well out from the rail on Tuesday at Arlington.

Austrian-born jockey Andreas Suborics, who became familiar to American racing fans after his winning ride aboard Silvano in the Arlington Million two years ago, was aboard Walzerkoenigin ("Waltzing Queen" in English) for her Tuesday exercise and will ride her Saturday.

"It was a small work," said German trainer Peter Schiergen when commenting on his filly's latest exercise, "but it was enough. She is very good now, and good in the head, too. She loves to travel, and she traveled with no problem this time."

"We only cantered," expanded Irish-born Paul Harley, traveling manager of the historic German breeding operation of the Von Ullmann family that dates back to 1869. "We worked her just to suit ourselves. All our major preparations were done at home. The ground was beautiful today. I don't think you can get better ground anywhere than you have right here at Arlington."

Walzerkoenigin actually runs for Baroness Karin Von Ullmann, matriarch of the Von Ullmann family, while her son Baron Georg Von Ullmann races Gestut Schlenderhan's Chan Chan, who worked in company with Walzerkoenigin and is slated to start in Arlington's John Henry Stakes on Sunday.

With Chris Emigh aboard, Chan Chan broke in front by a length Tuesday, but the two German invaders were head-to-head at the wire.

"I was very happy with the way she went," said jockey Suborics speaking of Walzerkeonigin later in the morning. "She can handle most types of ground, but this morning there was just a little 'cut' to it, and she really loved that."