Sunday, Hamburg, Germany
SPARDA 143RD DEUTSCHES DERBY-G1, €500,000, Hamburg, 7-1, 3yo, c/f, 1 1/2mT, 2:32.23, gd.
1--PASTORIUS (GER), 128, c, 3, by Soldier Hollow (GB)
        1st Dam: Princess Li (Ger), by Monsun (Ger)
        2nd Dam: Princess Dancer (Ger), by Suave Dancer
        3rd Dam: Princess Nana (GB), by Bellypha (Ire)
O-Stall Antanando; B-Franz Prinz von Auersperg & Florian Haffe; T-Mario Hofer; J-Terence Hellier; €300,000. Lifetime Record: 7 starts, 3 wins, 2 places, €345,700. *1/2 to Point Blank (Ger) (Royal Dragon), GSP-Ity & Ger, $126,897. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Novellist (Ire), 128, c, 3, Monsun (Ger)--Night Lagoon (Ger), by Lagunas (GB). (€100,000 RNA yrl '10 BBASEP). O/B-Dr Christoph Berglar; T-Andreas Wohler; €100,000.
3--Girolamo (Ger), 128, c, 3, Dai Jin (GB)--Golden Time (Ger), by Surumu (Ger). O/B-Gestut Ebbesloh; T-Peter Schiergen; €60,000.
Margins: HF, SHD, 1. Odds: 31.10, 0.70, 10.50.
Also Ran: Baltic Rock (Ire), Black Arrow (Ire), Andolini (Ger), Salon Soldier (Ger), Nostro Amico (Ger), Anakin Skywalker (Ger), Feuerblitz (Ger), Macao (Ire), Milord (Ger), Russian Song (Ger), Mano Diao (GB). Scratched: Munic Boy. Click for the Racing Post or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree.
   Last year's G3 Herzog Von Ratibor-Rennen winner Pastorius entered this Classic under the radar, with all the focus on the unbeaten Novellist, but he blindsided that 7-10 favorite to cause a 31-1 shock. Runner-up on his first black-type test behind Black Arrow (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the Listed Winterfavorit-Trial over a mile at Cologne in September, he reversed that form in decisive fashion in Krefeld's Herzog Von Ratibor-Rennen over a half-furlong further in November. Back over that same track and trip for the Apr. 22 G3 Dr Busch-Memorial on his sophomore bow, the bay was fourth behind the subsequent G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains fourth Amaron (GB) (Shamardal) and G3 Tercentenary S. winner Energizer (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) and owed his starting odds here to a lackluster effort afterwards when only seventh in the G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas), at Cologne last time May 28. Held up in rear early following the tracks of Novellist, he started to veer left towards the rail in early stretch as the market leader made hard work of getting past Black Arrow and Girolamo and to the front. While he managed to do so yards from the line and give the Hamburg faithful hope that he would fill pockets, it was Pastorius whose wide charge out of sight of most of the bunch proved decisive in a tight finish. Trainer Mario Hofer, who was winning his first Derby, commented, "Before the race, I said that Novellist was not to be beaten, but I was sure Pastorius would be able to finish in the frame." Jockey Terry Hellier, who was also enjoying an initial taste of glory in this prestigious affair, added, "I have always believed in this horse and I was sure that he would stay the trip." From the first crop of last year's leading first-season sire Soldier Hollow, who is now based at Gestut Auenquelle, Pastorius is another footnote in the story of Monsun (Ger), who is his damsire and also the sire of the much-vaunted runner-up.