MUNICH, MAY 1, 2025 – For more than three decades, Helmut von Finck and his Park Wiedingen Stud have been a fixture in German horse racing. Three years ago, the stallion Sammarco fulfilled his lifelong dream and won the German Derby, the most important race of the year. Sammarco opened his 2022 Derby season with a second place in the Wettstar.de Bavarian Classic. His potential successor, Path of Soldier, did even better on Labor Day today: He won the Group III 2,000m race with prize money of €55,000 at the Munich-Riem racecourse in front of around 4,500 spectators.
In early summer temperatures, Path of Soldier put up a tough fight against Lazio, who narrowly suffered his first defeat in his fourth career. “I’m sure we saw some top horses of the 2022 vintage at the Wettstar.de Bavaria Classic today,” said Sascha Multerer, Managing Director of the Munich Racing Club. “We definitely experienced a fantastic day of racing in a great atmosphere.” Also in attendance: Daniel Krüger, Managing Director of the German Galopp Federation.
Son of the great Soldier Hollow
Path of Soldier was bred by the Fährhof Stud Foundation near Bremen. His sire, Soldier Hollow, enjoyed great success both on the racetrack and as a stud for von Finck. He purchased the stallion two years ago at the Baden-Baden Auction Company’s yearling auction for €64,000. Path of Soldier is trained by Cologne champion Peter Schiergen, who has trained six Derby winners, most recently Sammarco. “He did a great job and showed us last year that he can run,” said Schiergen after the winning ride by Frenchman Eddy Hardouin.
However, Schiergen’s other protégé, Zuckerhut, had been tipped as the favorite beforehand, but he didn’t have a particularly successful run with Sibylle Vogt. “He wasn’t lively enough,” said Schiergen after finishing fourth behind Aquaman. Aquaman represents the racing colors of the Liberty Racing ownership group, with shareholders from Australia and Germany. “Two years ago, our Fantastic Moon finished third in the Bavaria Classic and then won the Derby,” the owners’ group founder, Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten, had already made it clear before the race that victory wasn’t necessarily a given today.
Eagle Emblem lives up to its role as favorite
Right from the start, there was a winner who also has his sights set on the Derby: Eagle Emblem, trained by Waldemar Hickst in Cologne. Recently second to Aquaman on his home track, he easily won the MIG Fund opening race over 2,000m with Antonio Orani today. Like the main race, this race was reserved for three-year-olds. Coletta, the mare trained by Gerald Geisler, made a good debut here, finishing second behind Eagle Emblem.
Hickst and Orani had another winner to celebrate: In the most important handicap of the day, a €15,000 Handicap II over 2,200m, the three-year-old mare Aglaia won convincingly by six lengths ahead of Launching Percy, trained locally by John David Hillis. The Munich-based Irish rider had previously secured the first home victory of the day with the seven-year-old Environmentalist, ridden by Andrew Breslin.
The next race day in Riem is on Saturday, May 17th.
