Press release
Photo: Sir Tommy Cen; www.marcruehl.com / Use of this photo is free of charge in connection with reporting on Baden Galopp
Press release
A French victory for Spanish colors by Sir Tommy Cen in the 48th Kronimus Badener Meile
Baden-Baden-Iffezheim, June 4, 2026 (MH) – It wasn’t necessarily expected beforehand that the Marseillaise (the French national anthem) would be played after the first group race of the 2026 Spring Meeting on Thursday at the racetrack in Baden-Baden-Iffezheim in front of 12,800 spectators. But with Sir Tommy Cen (4:1), a visitor from the neighboring country gave the local top milers a run for their money in the 48th Kronimus Badener Meile (Group III, €55,000, 1,600 m). Jockey Aurelien Lemaitre rode the four-year-old gray, representing the Spanish stable Yeguada Centurion SLU—which also owned top horses such as Big Rock and Blue Rose Cen—to a flawless start-to-finish victory.
Sir Tommy Cen, who had never before placed in a Black Type race and who had made tremendous progress under trainer Patrik Olave-Valdivielso—who is also from Spain and based in Pau—never looked in any danger of losing the race. The reward for his fifth career victory in his twelfth start: 32,000 euros in prize money. Sir Tommy Cen pulled away from the field by a commanding three-and-a-half-length margin. The field was led by the tenacious mare Aster, just ahead of the consistent Sommersby. The favorite Next Mine finished a distant fourth; starting from the back of the pack, he never looked threatening this time and did not run particularly well. Trailing even behind the fading Ayada, co-favorite New Emerald finished last; after a poor start, he had quickly moved up but had run out of steam early on.
VOICES:
Aurelien Lemaitre (jockey for Sir Tommy Cen): “We were able to set a good pace up front. My horse accelerated perfectly and had the win in the bag early on.”
Patrik Olave-Valdivielso (trainer of Sir Tommy Cen): “The owner loves it when his horses take an aggressive approach to the races. I’m preparing 20 horses for him in Pau; we have a total of 40 horses in the stable. Sir Tommy Cen was my first starter in Germany. Our plan worked out perfectly. We might return for a Group II race in September. Before that, he could compete in Deauville this summer.”
Henk Grewe (Aster’s trainer): “The mare ran a great race. She’s pretty unassuming at home, but she really shows her stuff in the race. Now she could be headed to the Hamburg Fillies’ Mile.”
Andreas Wöhler (Sommersby’s trainer): “That was a good performance, although of course you have to put it into perspective, since the horses in question weren’t up front this time.”
Waldemar Hickst (trainer of Next Mine): “The winner paced himself well up front. It was tough from the back. The ground could have been a bit softer for us.”
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Andre Lott
Press contact
Baden Galopp GmbH & Co. KG
Rennbahnstr. 16
76473 Iffezheim
Tel: +49 1736755151
www.badengalopp.de
Spring Meeting:
Thursday, June 4
Saturday, June 6
Sunday, June 7
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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Managing Director: Stephan Buchner
