Half Brother to Torquator Tasso Wins German G3 Stakes

Tunnes  put the seal on an extraordinary year for breeder Paul Vandeberg and broodmare Tijuana  when taking the final group race of the European year in Germany Nov. 14.

At the moment, the 2-year-old colt's older half brother is rather better known. Torquator Tasso  was the surprise winner of last month's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), having been sold to Gestüt Auenquelle for €24,000 (US$27,488) as a yearling at Baden-Baden.

Although Torquator Tasso had been second in the Deutsches Derby (G1), he had not begun his group-winning spree by the time Tunnes entered the ring at BBAG last October and the chestnut was bought by Holger Renz for a reasonable €38,000 ($45,037).

Tunnes has quickly gone through the grades for the Peter Schiergen stable and showed plenty of grit to get the better of a duel with Ariolo in the Grosser Preis der Wohnstatte Krefeld-Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen (G3) at Krefeld. He broke his maiden at second asking in an Oct. 10 maiden race.

Tunnes is the first stakes or group winner in the two small crops of his sire, Guiliani , who has been standing at Gestut Erftmuhle for a fee of €3,000. The son of Tertullian has sired eight winners from 20 starters to date. Baron von Ullman's close relative to multiple group 1 winner Getaway  won the 2015 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis-Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (G1).