200 years of horse racing in Germany

Words - Lissa Oliver

Horseracing is the oldest organised sport in Germany and this year it celebrates a major milestone. The very first thoroughbred race in Germany took place in Doberan, on the Baltic Sea, 10 August 1822, this summer marking the 200th anniversary. Around 30 racing clubs have organised a total of 136 race days to mark the celebration.

German-bred racehorses are recognised internationally for their stamina and soundness, which is no accident and links directly to that historic day in Doberan. Breeding selection and breed improvement through tests of performance remains a mandate of the Animal Breeding Act, with the retirement of stallions to stud strictly governed. 

Organised racing in Germany was very quickly established. As early as 13 August of the same year, 1822, the Doberan Racing Club was founded, the first of the racing clubs created to oversee the contests. The Berlin Racing Club followed in 1828 and by the 1830s numerous new clubs had been formed across the country.

Today, the Düsseldorf Equestrian and Racing Club has the proud boast of being Germany’s oldest continuously existing racing club, founded in 1844, and in April Düsseldorf racecourse had the honour of hosting the first of the anniversary celebrations.

Another major milestone followed when, in 1858, the French casino owner Edouard Bénazet had the racecourse built in Iffezheim near Baden-Baden. Ten years later, Emperor Wilhelm I attended the official opening of the Hoppegarten racecourse in Berlin, 17 May 1868, which quickly developed into one of the most important racecourses in Europe. 

The oldest continuous race in Germany is the Union Race, first held in 1834. Created as a supreme test for three-year-olds it was eventually relegated by the Deutsches Derby. The Norddeutsches Derby, as it was originally known, was established at Hamburg in 1869, becoming the now-familiar Deutsches Derby in 1889. During the wars it was staged at Grunewald in 1919, Hoppegarten in 1943 and 1944, Munich in 1946 and Cologne in 1947. The great Königsstuhl, in winning the Henckel-Rennen, Deutsches Derby and St-Leger in 1979, remains the only horse to win the German Triple Crown.

The first commercial German bookmakers sprang up in the middle of the 19th century and, following the French model, a totaliser was set up in Berlin in 1875. From 1905 to 1922 bookmaker bets were banned in Germany, but since then the Tote and bookmakers have been competing with each other.

The early part of the 20th century saw racing clubs springing up as vigorously as the grass and in 1912 there were more than 100 racecourses in Germany. Obviously, world events saw that blossoming situation change drastically. The First World War represented a turning point in the fate of German racing, but it was the Second World War that had a lasting and damaging impact.

Appropriately, racing returned to West Germany after the war years on 12 August 1945 at Leipzig, but in the German Democratic Republic racing became, at best, a marginal sport. Hoppegarten was nationalised and one of only six racecourses hosting racing.

It was a brighter new start in the West and the racing season resumed in full at Munich in April 1946. A steady resurgence followed, and Cologne developed into the leading training centre, while Hamburg remained the home of the Deutsche Derby. 

As with other European racing nations there was little change in the ensuing years, but 1980 marked another significant milestone when Dortmund became the first all-weather track in Europe, for the first time making winter racing under floodlights possible.

Following the reunification of Germany, racing came more into focus with the public and Berlin’s Hoppegarten, in particular, enjoyed renewed popularity. In 2021, the Group 1 LONGINES 131st Grand Prix of Berlin received great international recognition when it was included in the top 100 of the world's best races. However, it is Baden-Baden that is regarded as the leading German racecourse, in terms of betting turnover and also from a sporting, social and international viewpoint, staging popular meetings in spring, summer and autumn.

As already mentioned, the breeding of German thoroughbreds has always been carefully regulated to ensure continuing success. The German breeding industry began around 1800, originally in Mecklenburg.  In 1842 the first Deutsche Stud Book was published. It contained 242 breeders who between them kept 779 broodmares. Less than 10% had more than 10 mares. This has hardly changed to this day; there are only a few large stud farms, but many breeders with only one or two mares. Currently, about 460 breeders have around 1,300 broodmares.

One of the great traditional studs is the Prussian State Stud in Graditz, near Leipzig, founded in 1668 and already dedicated solely to thoroughbred breeding by the first half of the 19th century. Twelve Derby winners were raised there from 1886 (Potrimpos) to 1937 (Abendfrieden) and Graditz-produced horses were esteemed to the extent that there were times when they had to carry additional weight to give their rivals a better chance. 

The oldest private stud farm is Gestüt Schlenderhan near Cologne, founded in 1869 by Baron von Oppenheim. From 1908 to the present day, Schlenderhan has bred 19 Deutsches Derby winners, most recently In Swoop in 2020. A great example of the success of small-scale German breeders is, of course, 2021 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Torquator Tasso, bred by Paul H. Vandeberg from his only mare, Tijuana; herself from Schlenderhan breeding.

The 200th anniversary of German racing is being celebrated across the country, with commemorative stamps produced by Deutsches Post. The highlight will be the festivities at Berlin-Hoppegarten racecourse from 12 to 14 August. The three-day anniversary meeting opens with an official ceremony at the Hotel Adlon Kempinski in Berlin and on Saturday evening, 13 August, the Hoppegarten racecourse invites everyone to a big anniversary party. Details available at: 

Milestones in gallop racing - German gallop (deutscher-galopp.de)

Dr. Andreas Jacobs

By Peter Muhlfeit

Dr. Andreas Jacobs is a truly international businessman with a record of managing globally significant organisations across diverse fields of interest. He is overseeing his family business with diverse interests in chocolate, education and e-commerce. Jacobs also oversees the growing presence of a multi-national thoroughbred empire—with breeding operations in Germany, England and South Africa. In all, there are over 200 mares across all three commercial properties as well as a series of high-profile stallions and racing interests. And he is the president of Baden Racing, running the most important race track in Germany. The Jacobs family’s contribution to thoroughbred racing and society at large extends further through the Jacobs Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting the development of young people through programs in life skills, computer skills and activities associated with nature and the environment.

Peter Muhlfeit spoke to Jacobs about the upcoming season with Baden Racing and his views on racing and breeding.

Dr Jacobs: You’ve studied classical music—cello and French horn—and you have a doctorate in European competition law and a Master of Business Administration. Those enterprises are far removed from the world of horseracing. What led you to get involved in breeding and racing of thoroughbreds?

Horses are a passion of our family since generations. My parents and grandparents were passionate horse riders in different disciplines.  When I was young, I started spending my weekends at horse shows. My first great horse was a very talented thoroughbred called Tristan. He was the first horse that was raced in our family silks. My grandfather bought him in England, and he became a top two-year-old in Germany, however, suffered from tendon issues. Subsequently, he became a riding horse.  I was able to ride him at the highest levels in dressage. He was a star and changed my life.

In 1995, my grandfather asked me to succeed him at Gestut Fahrhof. I was surprised but felt immensely honoured and privileged. So all my commitment and passion went into this stud. This is where the infection really started. Despite this passion, we have clear rules in my family. The fundamental rule is that family comes first, business comes second, and private passions come last. In that sense, I am a relatively disciplined horse owner.

In 2010, you also took the reins at Baden-Baden, the leading track in Germany to save it from going under. Why?

Baden-Baden is the most important race track in Germany. With only 13 race days during the year, Baden is generating over 25% of the German annual betting turnover. Baden-Baden is the flagship track. Without Baden, Germany has no relevance in racing, in black type races; and we all could close our breeding operations, our traditional studs and move elsewhere. It was of utmost importance to fix this flagship track to keep German breeding alive. I like to thank John Magnier for making this point to me around ten years ago.  

The problem started 15 years earlier—in the mid-nineties—when official betting turnovers collapsed, moving betting overseas to low-tax havens with no benefit for the race track. Germany, with low retail presence in betting, suffered more than any other European country. With the collapse of revenues, several race tracks were insolvent and had to close—like Baden-Baden in 2010.

Why did the old Baden-Baden management structure fail? And what's being done differently now to ensure Baden-Baden's ongoing success?

The former management had limited cost transparency and reacted late. When we took over in 2010, we established more transparency and got regional politicians and local communities back on board. And we received support from the German TBA who helps us finance our group races.  

2019 is the tenth season for Baden Racing under your leadership. What are your ambitions for Baden-Baden in the short, medium and long terms and for German racing as a whole?

Dr. Andreas Jacobs with our Incoming Children

We are planning and investing to continue the positive trend: more spectators on site, increasing betting revenue on and off track, and a strong recognition in the region. These three parameters are up since years. Never forget: if you win a race on a Wednesday in Baden, there are still 7,000 to 9,000 spectators celebrating with you! If you win on the weekend, we easily double this.

What are the major changes you have planned?

We offer three festivals a year: the Spring Festival at the end of May, the Great Festival Weekend of August, and the Sales & Racing Festival in October. At these fixtures, we run twelve group, five Listed and three rich Sales races—more than any other racing club in Germany. In recent years we decided to end each festival with a bang, presenting two Group races on the final days. Such Super-Sundays are very unusual for German racing. This year we will have a Super Weekend on 31 August and 1 Sept with two Group races on Saturday, two Group races and one Listed race on Sunday. This is the best any race track in Germany has ever offered. And, what everyone should know: There is no other race track in the world that has so many Michelin and Gault Millau Stars in proximity! So if you are tired of horses, you can enjoy great food and wine.

How much help does your national racing industry get from the German government?

Sports are very much a matter for the federal states in Germany, so we can’t expect too much from the national government. On the local level, we did receive quite some help over recent years to reinvest into the track (e.g., to build a new watering system and to renovate the grandstand).

Nationwide, our sport is suffering from one big loss: Our betting tax used to be reimbursed based on our contribution to breeding by selecting top horses and improving the quality of breed. This was a fundamental right in the German constitution of the 1920s. The reimbursement got cancelled recently for no justifiable reason. In Baden-Baden alone we lost a solid six-digit amount.  

What could be done to help German Pattern races, in terms of increasing the prize funds? 

We need more betting revenue and more sponsors. That’s quite easy to say but difficult to achieve. In Baden-Baden, we increased our TV coverage. You can watch the Grand Prix of Baden-Baden on German public TV, ARD or ZDF. Around 3 million viewers are watching it. We are happy to have Longines as main sponsor; still, for other tracks, it is difficult to find sponsors for Pattern races.

Turning to your breeding operations: Why is the German racing and breeding industry not going down the 'speed' route with their stallions as is the vogue in other breeding nations?

Our strength has always been middle- to long-distance horses. They are late-maturing and bred to be tough. That’s pretty unique in a world where you look for a quick return and a two-year-old career. And it explains why German horses are so popular in Australia to win the Melbourne Cup.

The shortest Gp1 race in Germany is 2,000 meters. If you want to stand a champion sire, he should be middle to long distance. Historically, a stallion had to win a Gp1 over a mile-and-a-half to achieve a rating that allows him to become a stallion. So we were mating stayers to stayers, tough horses with tough horses. We also have conditions of no bute or Lasix to become a stallion. It is another criteria where pure, natural toughness will survive and continue. 

What is the influence of your stallions on the international stage and your hopes for Silvano, Nathaniel, Querari, Equiano, Maxios and your new resident Helmet?

Nathaniel obviously has made his mark already with Enable—one of the best fillies in recent decades. He himself was brilliant, and he is reproducing it. This is what you love to see as a breeder. Silvano in South Africa is exceptional. Close to my heart. The first horse I bred, raised and accompanied. He has now 21 individual Gp1 winners in Europe and South Africa. He is already a legend. Querari is following him, being the best younger stallion in South Africa by all measures. And at Fährhof we have the most beautiful Maxios—the best bred son of the legendary Monsun and one of the most influential stallions in the world. We decided to attract Helmet to stand at Fährhof. He fits the German taste, having been a tough race horse and champion at two and three and stemming from a German family with Anna Paola, having sired a Dubai World Cup winner in his first year. What more can you expect?

Further to your own interests in South Africa, do you see South African racing and breeding playing a greater role internationally?

I first came to South Africa in 1989 when my wife worked at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, where the first heart transplant was done by Dr Bernard a few years earlier. We started dating in Cape Town. We love the country, and in 2002 we fell in love with the stud, which has both beauty and ruggedness. It became a family place with many European faces—horse faces. When I compare Maine Chance Farms with our other studs, there is no doubt that Europe is more sophisticated along the value chain. But South African horses are globally competitive because they grow up more natural. South African breeding is survival of the fittest. I can’t wait to see South Africa being allowed to export under reasonable quarantine regulations. It will be a source of excellent horses.

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Trainer Profile - Markus Klug

By Peter Muhlfeit

Baden-Baden is a rather small town in the southwest of Germany, close to the French border and at the doorstep to the Black Forest. But it has groomed its international reputation since the 19th century, when it was known as the “summer residence of the European aristocracy.” These days it is still famous for its spas, the gambling casino, and more recently the biggest opera house in Germany. And let’s not forget: horseracing. The racetrack at Iffezheim, founded in 1858 by Edouard Bénazet, the French tenant of the casino, holds the premier position in Germany – from an economic, social, and sporting point of view. And it is here where it all started for Markus Klug.

Born in Romania in 1976, Klug grew up in Rastatt – just a few strides away from Iffezheim. The 42-year-old has risen from owner-trainer with just one horse to the top of his guild at home, caring for more than 100 thoroughbreds at Rottgen stud, and quickly making his mark overseas as well.  

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We met at the Spring Festival at Baden-Baden – the first “must do” of the year on the German racing calendar, and a homecoming for Klug, who always seems to have an open ear for the press, unlike some of his colleagues. It turned out to be a rather special weekend for Klug. Not only did he win a Group 3 sprint with one of his favourite horses, Millowitsch, and was honoured as champion trainer in Baden-Baden for the third time in four years, but he also enhanced his international reputation thanks to strong performances of two of his best horses in Epsom and Chantilly.

“I loved to watch racing as a kid in Iffezheim and later started to ride in the morning for trainer Waldemar Himmel,” Klug says about his beginnings. Himmel runs a small yard in Iffezheim but competes rather successfully in the neighbouring France. Horses, however, weren’t the only passion of young Klug. He was a very decent tennis player in his youth, winning the Rastatt town championships as a teenager against the adults.

But soon the horses took over his spare time. “When we owned our first horse, I started to train it and it was clear to me that I wanted to do something with horses.” But becoming a professional trainer always looked like a far-fetched dream. So after passing his A-Levels he decided to study business administration but stopped after two terms. “It just wasn’t for me,” Klug said, but still, he stayed on a supposedly safer track to his future, learning his trade as an insurance salesman.

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At the same time he owned a few more horses and did a pretty good job with them. His first winner, Gordian, a four-year-old gelding, came in 2003 on the provincial track of Herxheim close to Iffezheim. He also won races in Austria, Belgium, France, and Switzerland, which is quite unusual for an owner-trainer. By 2009 it was clear to Klug that there must be more to his professional life than selling insurance. He got his licence as public trainer, and then a big door opened for him: “The chance of my life,” as he calls it. Gunter Paul, chairman of the foundation Mehl-Mulhens-Stiftung, made the young man an offer, he just couldn’t refuse. “I turned my hobby into my profession.”

The Mehl-Mulhens-Stiftung owns the stud and racing stable of Gestut Rottgen, one of the most famous and traditional houses in Germany. The stud was founded in 1924 by Peter Mulhens, who made his money with Eau de Cologne 4711. His widow Maria Mehl-Mulhens, who died in 1985, saved the Rottgen legacy by creating the foundation, which apart from racing and breeding thoroughbreds supports horseracing in general, young riders, and helps jockeys who get into trouble due to no fault of their own. The foundation has the lawyer and former president of the highest court in the federal state of Hesse, Günter Paul, in charge.

The beautiful stud is located in Heumar, very close to the major city of Cologne, right in the middle of a forest and fenced off by a large wall. The training track – grass and sand – is 2.5 km long, and the horses have to pass a traffic light on their way from the stables to the working grounds. Rottgen has a fine reputation in the racing world, famously breeding the first German winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Eclipse Stakes, Star Appeal, in the ‘70s.

But things needed changing in the 21th century, and Rottgen needed fresh ideas.

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Course 2 Course

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Plus 10

European trainers with a two-year-old horse in training have the opportunity to increase their earnings during the 2015 Flat season by targeting Plus 10 bonus races.

Plus 10 is a £5.5 million bonus scheme which will see qualified two-year-olds (and three-year-old horses in 2016) race for cash bonuses of £10,000 or €12,500 across several hundred races in Britain and Ireland.

This season there will be more than 480 opportunities for qualified two-year-olds to claim a Plus 10 bonus.

Each time a £10,000 bonus is won by a qualified horse, the trainer, jockey and stable staff will be paid a 5% (£500) share on top of race prize money, with the balance shared between the owner and breeder. Three registration stages must be completed for a horse to be qualified.

Ruth Quinn, the British Horseracing Authority’s Director of Racing, said: “Plus 10 offers significant opportunities for a trainer to increase their own earnings and provide an owner with a return on their investment in a horse.

“In 2015 there will be an anticipated 314 Maiden races in Britain to feature a bonus, 37 of which will be Auction or Median Auction Maidens.

“For trainers with qualified fillies, the Plus 10 programme offers significant opportunities with more than 42% of the Plus 10 races in 2015 being restricted to fillies only.

“We urge trainers to visit the Plus 10 website to find out more about the many opportunities for a two-year-old to win multiple bonuses in 2015.”

Horse Racing Ireland’s Director of Racing, Jason Morris said: “With 40 Maiden races in the next three months and at least 100 opportunities throughout the year, there are many opportunities for early maturing two-year-olds to sweep up a €12,500 Plus 10 bonus in Ireland before claiming a Nursery or Winners race later in the season.”

To view the March-June Plus 10 race programme for Britain and Ireland, check a horse’s qualification status, or for further information, visit plus10bonus.com.

Note: Plus 10 bonuses will feature on the following races:Britain:

2YO – All Class 2-4 Maiden, Novice and Conditions and Class 5 Fillies’ Maiden races.

3YO – All Class 2-4 Maiden and Conditions and Class 5 Fillies’ Maiden races

Ireland:

2YO – 100 bonuses available on all two-year-old, non-black-type races (including Open Maiden, Auction Maiden, Median Auction Maiden, Nursery and Winners) rolled over until all 100 bonuses are won.

3YO – Unclaimed two-year-old bonuses applied to three-year-old only Maiden races from the beginning of the 2016 Flat season, until all remaining bonuses are won.

Hamilton Park

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The £40,000 EBF Glasgow Listed Stakes on Friday (evening) 17th July at Hamilton Park (near Glasgow, Scotland) is the feature race within a £100,000 card. Since this historic race was switched to mid- July four years ago, it has quickly become a popular stepping stone for trainers with major autumn targets. Luca Cumani demonstrated this last year by winning The Glasgow with Postponed before going on to win Great Voltigeur.  Now open to Fillies as well as Colts/ Geldings, this 3-Y-O Listed contest is over 11 Furlongs.

Baden-Baden

August 28, 2015

Baden-Baden, Germany – Palais Biron

We are delighted to invite and welcome you to our “Business and Ethics of Racing” meeting. Old and unsolved problems and important changes in the conditions of Thoroughbred racing are the basis for the meeting. On the agenda will be the future of racing and the position of the trainer, breeder and the owner. The meeting is expected to last four hours and will run simultaneously with a veterinary meeting set to address similar issues.  We are pleased to have a group of renowned speakers along with an  interesting scientific and social programme.

The meeting starts on Friday, August 28, at 10 am and the programme includes subjects such as managing the risks of prohibited substance from feeds and supplements, Biosecurity protocols for stud farms, joint and tendon stress in young Thoroughbreds, and many more important subjects in racing, owning and breeding.

You are also invited to attend the social programme of the veterinary conference which will include a Klaus Philipp exhibition at Brenner’s Park Hotel and a dinner at the famous Casino of Baden-Baden on Saturday evening.

The famous spa of Baden-Baden is located in the south west of Germany in the Black Forest mountains near the River Rhine, and close to the French border. By car, Baden-Baden is on the A5 motorway from Frankfurt to Basel. There is a direct train connection (1.5 h) from Frankfurt International Airport. The regional Baden Airport is only 20 min away, and connects Baden-Baden directly to Berlin, Hamburg, London and Rome, and, via Berlin, to other European capitals. The meeting place in Baden-Baden is the historic villa Palais Biron, lying just outside the city centre on Lichtentaler Strasse.

Hans D. Lauk

Fees and information

Early booking (until June 30)   €160 ex 19% VAT

Normal (July 1st – August 20th)   €180 ex 19% VAT

Late booking (after August 20th)  €200 ex 19% VAT

Casino Dinner €60 (Must be booked separately)

Information for registration

Hippiatrika publishing, P. B. 100085, 76481 Baden-Baden, Germany

Phone: 0049 (0)176 23 41 14 22

Registration can be done online or by fax:

www.racing.care

Email: reg@phkforum.cc  |  Fax: 0049 (0)561 970 107 02

No refunds after 20th August 2015.

Ascot

Commonwealth Cup becomes Eighth Royal Ascot Group One race

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Royal Ascot has been lit up by many big international names in recent years – Black Caviar becoming the fifth Australian-trained winner at the meeting in 2012 will be many people’s highlight but there have also been memorable winners from Hong Kong and the USA, as well as from all over Europe.

It was Wesley Ward who stole most of the limelight on the international front in 2014, with Hootenanny winning the Windsor Castle Stakes en route to victory at the Breeders’ Cup in late October. In addition, Wesley’s Sunset Glow found only Cursory Glance too good in the Albany Stakes.

Royal Ascot has seen over 50 runners from outside Europe in its two Global Sprint Challenge legs since the series began in 2005 and this year, the meeting will stage a third Group One sprint for the first time – the Commonwealth Cup, limited to three-year-olds and run over 1200 metres (6 furlongs).

It is hoped that this race, whilst providing a valuable early season sprint championship for European horses, will also appeal particularly to the American market but also perhaps, in time, to Australian two-year-olds, Golden Slipper types, who are able to participate with a 10lb Southern Hemisphere Allowance.

With the addition of the Commonwealth Cup and the promotion of the QIPCO British Champions Sprint in the autumn to Group One status, Ascot will stage 13 top level races in 2015.

It was tremendous to see Animal Kingdom from the USA run in the Queen Anne Stakes of 2013 and we hope that this race particularly, along with the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, will continue to develop in intercontinental terms like the established sprints and two-year old races.

It is still early days, but to have Hong Kong's Able Friend being talked of as a Queen Anne horse for this year and Japan's Spielberg being trained for the Prince of Wales's Stakes is tremendously encouraging.