Turfdonna Digs Deep for German Oaks Win
Description:
Turfdonna had to call upon all her reserves to fend off closing Nightflower and win the Henkel-Pries der Diana (Ger-I, German Oaks) Aug. 2 at Dusseldorf.
Racing for the Australian Bloodstock Stable, Turfdonna secured the victory in the final 100 yards, as Diana-Trial (Ger-II) victress Nightflower chased in vain, finishing just three-quarters of length behind the winner. Amona was third, 1 1/4 lengths back in the field of 13 fillies.
The narrow triumph was the first in a stakes for Turfdonna, a daughter of Doyen who came in off a third, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, behind Anna Katharina and Amona, in the Almased-Cup Hamburger Stuten-Preis (Ger-III) July 4 at Hamburg. Anna Katharina was sixth in the Oaks.
With Eduardo Pedroza at the reins, Turfdonna raced on the outside, close to pacesetter Let's Dance, who set a strong tempo. She moved to challenge 300 meters out, grabbed the lead approaching the furlong marker, and held on to prevail.
Turfdonna was timed in 2:13.93 for 2,200 meters (about 1 3/8 miles) on good turf. She is the third German classic winner this year for trainer Andreas Wohler, who won the German Two Thousand Guineas (Ger-II) with Karpino and the German One Thousand Guineas (Ger-II) with Full Rose.
Bred in Germany by Gestut Auenquelle, Turfdonna is out of the Big Shuffle mare Turfaue. Second dam Turfquelle is a half sister to German champion Turfkonig and German classic winner Tryphosa. Turfdonna was trained earlier this year by Roland Dzubasz before she was shifted to Wohler later in the spring.