Champion and blue hen Wurftaube (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}–Wurfbahn {Ger}, by Frontal {Fr}), third dam of this year's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Saturday's 'TDN Rising Star' Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}), passed away on Dec. 8, www.galopponline.de reported. The chestnut was 26.
“My wife Gisela and I are mourning for Wurftaube, who gave us countless beautiful and unforgotten moments,” Wurftaube's trainer Harro Remmert told www.galopponline.de.
The March foal, who raced in the colours of her breeder Gestut Ravensberg, was a German highweight at 14 furlongs and over at three, after three group wins culminating in the G2 German St. Leger in September of 1996. She picked up where she left off at four, taking the G2 Gerling-Preis at Cologne, and she ran second in the G1 Grosser Preis der Westdeutschen before being named German Highweight Older Mare at 11-14 furlongs. She retired to the paddocks a winner of seven of 10 starts with $355,908 in earnings.
At stud, Wurftaube produced 2011 G1 German Derby hero Waldpark (Ger) (Dubawi {Ire}), SW & MGSP Waldvogel (Ire) (Polish Precedent), and the GSPs Waldjagd (GB)(Observatory) and Waldmark (Ger) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}). Several of her daughters have proven top-class producers, with English highweight and G1 St. Leger victor Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), GSW Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger})-the dam of Waldgeist, GSW Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), and Waldkonig; and SW Waldnah (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) out of Waldmark. The winning Waldbeere (GB) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}) has also outproduced herself, as she counts MGSW Wiesenpfad (Fr) (Waky Nao {GB}), MGSW & G1SP Waldpfad (Ger) (Shamardal) and SW and G1 German Oaks third Waldtraut (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) among her offspring.
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