GP Memorial Duque de Toledo and Gran Critérium this Sunday at La Zarzuela

Next Sunday at La Zarzuela there is a meeting with 7 races including the Memorial Duque de Toledo (2,400 m, 3yo+, weight for age, 30,000 euros for the winner), one of the highlights of the season and the Gran Critérium (1,600 m, 2yo, 24,000 euros for the winner)


GP Memorial Duque de Toledo
2,400 m,  3yo+, weight for age, 30,000 euros

The field of this year includes four Classic winners: Domeside, Plantagenet, Pazifiksturm and Fortun, along with the winners of the prep races, Kurdo and Ranyan, Arnuero (2nd last year) and G3 placed Casaca. The Memorial Duque de Toledo is included in the list of races under consideration for inclusion at Listed level.  These are the participants:

Arnuero (GB, 2008), bay colt [Sakhee-Penang Pearl(Bering)], owned by Cuadra Medreal, trained by M. Delcher S, will be ridden by Oscar Ortiz de Urbina. He was second last year to Ayanz. He prefers soft going.

Domeside (GB, 2006), bay colt [Domedriver-Buck's Fizz(Kris)], owned by Cuadra Safsaf, trained by M. Delcher S., will be ridden by J. Grosjean.Winner of the 2009 Villapadierna (Spanish Derby), he is somewhat irregular

Entre Copas (GB, 2004), ch. gelding [Sakhee-Priena(Priolo)], owned by Cuadra África, trained by J. M. Osorio, will be ridden by A. Gómez. The Horse of the Year in 2011 is not having a good year and stable jockey Crocquevieille has chosen her sister Casaca.

Kurdo (FR, 2008), bay colt [Baptize-La Sayida(Fairy King)], owned by Yeguada AGF, trained by G. Arizkorreta, will be ridden by V. Janacek. .He won the preparatory race.

Pazifizsturm (GER. 2007) [Samum-La Parabol(Trempolino)], owned by Cuadra Martul, trained by Ana Imaz Ceca, will be ridden by J. B. Hamel. Winner of the Mijas Cup,also won in Morocco and the Copa de Oro de San Sebastián. He will be the favourite and his win would mean an outstanding year. He is a Classic winner of the Premio Villamejor (Spanish St. Leger)


Plantagenet (SPA, 2007) [Trade Fair-Crafty Buzz(Crafty Prospector)], owned by Cuadra Whylar, trained by G Arizkorreta, will be ridden by J. L. Martínez. Winner of the 2010 GP Villapadierna (Spanish Derby), the first Spanish bred winner in Dubai.


Casaca (GB, 2007), ch. flly [Medicean-Priena(Priolo)], owned by Cuadra África, trained by J. M. Osorio, will be ridden by J. Crocquevieille..She was 2nd to Skinside in the Benítez de Lugo. She runs against her brother Entre Copas for the first time.

Arsalan (GB, 2009), bay colt [Halling-Kali(Linamix)], owned by Reza Pazooki, trained by F. Rodríguez, will be ridden by M. Borrego

Fortun (IRE, 2009), a bay colt [Bachelor Duke-Duckmore Bay(Titus Livius)], owned by Cuadra La Toledana, trained by J. L. Maroto, will be ridden by J. L. Borrego. Winner of the Villapadierna (Spanish Derby).

Ranyan (SPA, 2009), ch. gelding [Gold Away-Triple Two(Pivotal)], owned by Cuadra Agrado, trained by Teo Callejo, will be ridden by J. Claudic

Azafata (SPA, 2009) [Motivator-Anysheba(Alysheba)]. owned by cuadra Chamartín, trained by J. López, will be ridden by J. Horcajada

Recent winners of the Memorial Duque de Toledo have been: Ayanz (2011), Karluv Most (2010), You or No One (2009), Blue Ridge View (2008), Young Tiger (2007 and 2005) and Jade (2006)


Gran Critérium
1,600 m, 2yo, 24,000 euros

Acamante (GB, 2010), bay colt [Sakhee-Xaluna Bay (Xaar)], onwed by the Duque de Alburquerque, trained by J. M. Osorio, will be ridden by A. Gómez. Debutant.

Calamari (FR, 2010), bay colt [Turtle Bowl-Gold Mine(Gold Away)], owned by R. Cocheteaux, trained by J. M. Osorio, will be ridden by J. Crocquevieille

Capearth (IRE, 2010), bay colt [Alhaarth-Antigone(Cape Cross)], owned by Cuadra Martul, trained by A. Imaz, will be ridden by J. B. Hamel

Dagoberto (SPA, 2010), bay colt [Dyhim Diamond-La Atalaya(Montjeu)], owned by Cuadra Nanina, trained by Teo Callejo, will be ridden by Oscar Ortiz de Urbina

Irish Sand (IRE, 2010), ch. colt [Footstepsinthesand-Knysna(Rock of Gibraltar)], onwed by Cuadra Martul, trained by A. Imaz., will be ridden by M. Foulon.

Kiril (FR, 2010), bay colt [Astronomer Royal-Solita(Thunder Gulch)], owned by Cuadra Madroños, trained by M. Delcher, will be ridden by J. Horcajada.

Moss (SPA, 2010), ch. colt [Palamoss-Falaris(Humool)], owned by Yeguada AGF, trained by G. Arizkorreta, will be ridden by V. Janacek.

Mou the Special (IRE, 2010), ch. colt [Refuse to Bend-Flagship(Rainbow Quest)], owned by Cuadra Los Toneles, trained by F. Rodríguez, will be ridden by J. L. Martínez

Sleeping Wan (GB, 2010), chestnut colt [Sleeping Indian-Vivre Sa Vie(Nashwan)], owned by Cuadra Martul, trained by Ana Imaz, will be ridden by G. Madero

Pearlside (FR, 2010), bay filly [Alhaarth-Prickly Pearl(Lahib)], owned by Cuadra Madroños, trained by M. Delcher S, will be ridden by J. Grosjean. She won the Carlos Sobrino in her last start and she is the half sister to Baldoria, who won the Gran Critérium in 2005

Recent winners of the Gran Critérium are: Matusalén (2011), Volcánico (2010), Adjuge (2009), As de Trébol (2008), Rituss (2007), What a Caper (2006) and Baldoria (2005)

Ariete Arrollador and Valiant Blue won the preps for the Hispanidad

The highlights of yesterday meeting at La Zarzuela were the prep races for the GP Hispanidad (1,600 m, 3yo+, to be run next October 12th), two races over a mile, for 4yo+ and for 3yo.

Ariete Arrollador (GB, 2007), bay colt [Kingsalsa-Proud Douna(Kaldoun)], owned by Cuadra Albero, trained by G. Arizkorreta, ridden by V. Janacek, won the Premio Young Tiger (1,600 m, 4yo+, 8,000 euros for the winner), beating by 3/4 length the frontrunner La Llanura (CAN, 2008), gray filly [El Prado-Herzblatt(Cozzene)], owned by Cuadra Tiziano, trained by M. Delcher S, who was ridden by Jorge Horcajada, with Risby (Big Shuffle) 3rd and Weststow (Medicean) 4th.

Here is the race: Premio Young Tiger

In the equivalent race for 3yo, Premio LAE-Partipral, the winner was Valiant Blue (IRE, 2009), bay colt [Moss Vale-Tiltili(Spectrum)], owned by Cuadra Agrado, trained by Teo Callejo, ridden by V. Janacek, beating Azabache (SPA, 2009) [Iceman-Tiviski(Desert Style)], owned by Cuadra Los Toneles, trained by F. Rodríguez and ridden by J. Grosjean with Laura Moon (Russian Blue) third.

Here is the race: Premio LAE-Partipral

In the first race, Premio Cruzcampo-Zalduendo, a 1,400 m race for debutant 2yo colts, the winner was Moss (SPA, 2010), ch. colt [Palamoss-Falaris(Humool)], owned by Yeguada AGF, trained by G. Arizkorreta and ridden by J L. Borrego, the first product of Palamoss (Night Shift) to run, with Rey de la Plata (Leadership) 2nd and Calamari (Turtle Bowl) 3rd. Here is the race: Premio Cruzcampo-Zalduendo

The equivalent race for fillies was won by Cariñosa (SPA, 2010) [Fol Parade-Emerald Princess(Even Top)], owned by Cuadra Donalfa, trained by M. J. Pérez and ridden by J. Horcajada, who beat Irabia (Shamardal) and Daranur One (Falco).

Tresenpunto (Delfos) and Alfred (Egeo) won the 2nd and 1st parts of the 2,100 m split Handicap