Image: Anatara; www.marcruehl.com / Use of this image is free of charge when used in connection with coverage of Baden Galopp
Press release
Big Week, August 29–September 6, 2026, in Baden-Baden • Iffezheim:
Anatara: From “Fun Horse” to List Winner in the WACKENHUT Fillies Cup
Baden-Baden-Iffezheim, September 5, 2026 (MH) – “Box rides” are the best rides—so goes an old racing adage, which once again proved true in the WACKENHUT Fillies Cup (Listed race, 30,000 euros, 1,800 m) on Saturday at the racetrack in Baden-Baden-Iffezheim. Rene Piechulek had stepped in at the last minute to ride the 5.6:1 co-favorite Anatara after the originally scheduled jockey, David Liska, fell ill, and went on to score a remarkable victory on the fourth day of the “Grosse Woche,” Ladies Day.
Ridden as usual by Warten, the Best Solution daughter—bred by the Auenquelle Stud, owned by the Kleeberg family, and trained by Andreas Wöhler in Spexard near Gütersloh—showed great staying power and pulled ahead by a neck just before the finish line, securing a victory worth 18,000 euros.
“Our fun horse has developed wonderfully. As always, she was ridden conservatively and gave it her all,” noted Andreas Wöhler, whose other contender, Sadora, also stayed close behind in fourth place. For a moment, La Spezia looked like the winner, but she first had to find an opening. “That was unfortunate, of course, because she was boxed in for a long time and then couldn’t make the decisive move as quickly as she needed to. But the mare has nevertheless shown further improvement. The group race in October in Hanover is the long-term goal,” said her trainer, Sascha Smrczek. Another neck length back, the French horse Saucepot put up a strong fight to finish third, even though she had to cover a few extra meters from the outside starting gate. The favorite, Santa Caterina, had to give up the lead in the final stretch.
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Moment
There was pure excitement following the Gestüt Etzean Winter Queen Trial (10,000 euros, 1,600 m) for two-year-old fillies. That’s because the Once in a Lifetime stable scored a victory right off the bat with its very first horse in its debut race. Vicky Furler, daughter of the legendary Addi Furler, and Paula Leisten are the driving forces behind this twelve-person ownership syndicate centered on El Valentina (6.1:1), a daughter of Japan purchased a year ago from Gabriele Gaul for 20,000 euros at the BBAG Yearling Auction.
Ridden by Benjamin Marie, Elvalentina easily pulled away from the heavy favorite Dalmera on the home stretch, even though Dalmera had briefly looked like the winner. Notably, the co-ownership group had already purchased another horse on Friday. “This is the first time in over 40 years that I’ve had a stake in a horse,” explained a visibly moved Vicky Furler. Trainer Andreas Suborics added: “Elvalentina had been working very well at home. But I didn’t think she’d win so easily. She isn’t entered in the Winter Queen Stakes; maybe we’ll enter her in an auction race now and then in a Listed race in Hanover.”
Also on the rise is Stylo (3.5:1), trained by Katja Gernreich in Düsseldorf, who, in the opening 3,200-meter Ausgleich III race under champion jockey Thore Hammer-Hansen, literally steamrolled the field—led by Valanco and Emmeci—and scored his third win of the season.
It's always Jutta Mayer!
Munich-based trainer Jutta Mayer is having a spectacular meet, as she celebrated her third victory at the “Grosse Woche” in a ladies’ race (Handicap IV, 2,200 m)—with Mr. Jury Twister (5.1:1), ridden by Nina Wagner, who surged to the front at the very last moment. But that wasn’t all: her fourth win followed with the completely dominant Cyanea (3.5:1), ridden by Leon Wolff, in a 1,400-meter Class III handicap race.
Macun (odds 6.8:1) and the racetrack in Iffezheim—they’re a perfect match, because in a 2,400-meter Class II handicap race, the seven-year-old trained by Dominik Moser secured yet another victory here. With a strong fighting spirit, the gelding—riden superbly by Thore Hammer-Hansen—overcame the challenge from Earl of Lips. Almenkönig and Manon des Bois rounded out the four-horse trifecta, which paid 2,400:1 euros.
Betting turnover for the nine races on Saturday totaled 923,682.52 euros.
Finals Sunday with WETTSTAR.de – 156th Baden Grand Prix
The "Grosse Woche" continues with the final day on Sunday, centered around the WETTSTAR.de – 156th Baden Grand Prix (Group I, 300,000 euros, 2,400 m). The first of a total of ten races begins at 11:15 a.m. (the gates open at 10 a.m.).
2026 Baden Galopp Racing Schedule:
Big week:
Saturday, August 29
Sunday, August 30
Tuesday, September 1
Saturday, September 5
Sunday, September 6
Sales & Racing Festival:
Friday, October 16
Sunday, October 18
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Andre Lott
Press contact
Baden Galopp GmbH & Co. KG
Rennbahnstr. 16
76473 Iffezheim
Tel: +49 1736755151
www.badengalopp.de
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Company headquarters: Iffezheim
Mannheim Local Court: HRA 708774
Represented by Baden Galopp Verwaltungs GmbH
Company headquarters: Iffezheim
Mannheim Local Court: HRB 3821
Managing Director: Stephan Buchner
