Dutch trainer Michel F. Rothengatter will never forget the 2024 German Derby weekend at the Mariendorf track in Berlin.
On Saturday he won the Deutsches Stuten Derby with Speedrise Lady S (sired by Walner) and Sunday the 129 Deutsches Traber-Derby with another mare, Nortolanda (sired by Bird Parker).
Dutch horse owners and trainers have dominated the German Trotting Derby for many years, and for once this year, Brothers in Arms (sired by Fabulous Wood), with champion driver Michael Nimczyk, was set for a German victory and was the favorite at 4-10. But even though Brothers in Arms was quickly in the lead and allowed to set the pace, he had to give in to the outside Nortolanda (the only mare in the field) with Michel F. Rothengatter in the sulky.
Nortolanda pulled away down the stretch and won easily in 1:54.4, equaling the race record set last year by Schampus (sired by Propulsion). Second behind Nortolanda (beaten three lengths) was Photobox (sired by S J’s Photo) with Robbin Bot and third was Remember Me (sired by Maharajah) with Joakim Lövgren. Brothers in Arms finished in fourth place.
There was a 110,475 Euro first prize for Nortolanda, owned by her Dutch breeders, Gerrits Recycling and Schavemaker Logistics.
It was the first time since 2011 that a mare won the German Trotting Derby; back then it was Lobell Countess driven and trained by Peter Strooper.
At the time, Michel F. Rothengatter was Strooper’s stable lad.