The 131st Deutsches Traber-Derby at the Mariendorf track (three-quarter-mile track) in Berlin was a major triumph for Dutch harness racing trainer Paul Hagoort, who had two horses in the race — with them finishing first and second.
Fragolino Rosso (sired by Booster Winner) won comfortably for Robin Bakker in a new race record of 1:53.3 (mile rate), ahead of stablemate Blizzard Diamant (sired by Indigious) with Mats E. Djuse in the sulky. In third came Lugano Cortina (sired by Green Manalishi) with trainer-driver Björn Goop.
While it was Paul Hagoort’s ninth trainer victory, it was the seventh time his first-string driver, Robin Bakker, had won the Derby.
Fragolino Rosso, who recorded his 10th consecutive victory here, was named Germany’s Trotter of the Year last year — he has made 15 starts in all and won 13 of them.
With the Derby’s first prize of 131,300 euros, Fragolino Rosso has now earned 331,962 euros in his career.
He is still owned by his breeders, Peter and Veronika Schmaus.
While Fragolino Rosso was the heavy favorite at 7-10, it was a longshot who won the mares’ Derby, the Deutsches Stuten-Derby, which had a first prize of 53,960 euros.
In a very tight stretch duel, Thomas Panschow managed to get Mon Jolie (sired by Wishing Stone) to the wire first, ahead of Thanks (sired by Cantab Hall) with Dennis Spangenberg and Brownie Diamant (sired by Indigious) with Michael Nimczyk.
Mon Jolie, who won in 1:58.3 (mile rate), paid 122-1 to win!
The German Derby races are contested over a distance of 1-3/16 miles.
In Sweden, the weekend’s major event was the Åby Stora Pris over approximately two miles, with a purse of SEK 1.5 million — or $160,000 — where Daniel Redén-trained Epic Kronos (sired by Muscle Hill), driven by Björn Goop, won decisively in 1:55.2 (mile rate), a new world record.
The previous record had been held by Milligan’s School since 2021 at 1:55.4.
On Sunday evening, Menhammar Stud held an online auction for 34 of the stud farm’s yearlings.
The highest-priced yearling was the colt Knackered — sired by Calgary Games and out of Exhausted by Walner — who drew a bid of $79,000 from trainer Conrad Lugauer.