Stewart-owned Goliath wins in Germany; BC Turf may be next

John Stewart’s Resolute Racing bought control of Group 1 winner Goliath last summer. The 5-year-old got his second triumph for his U.S. partner Sunday when he took the Group 1, US$351,645 Grosser Preis von Baden in Germany.

After this weekend’s relatively short trip from the France home base of trainer Francis Graffard, a more ambitious journey to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar appears to be in Goliath’s future Nov. 1. So does a Nov. 30 visit to Tokyo.

“The idea of going to Germany was that it’s a bonus race for the Japan Cup (G1),” Graffard told Racing Post. “Before that he could go to the Breeders’ Cup, which would please his owner John Stewart.”

Sent off as a 9-5 second choice in a field of six open-company starters, Goliath carried jockey Clément Lecoeuvre to lead at every call and finished with a 1 1/4-length win in the 1 1/2-mile turf race at Baden-Baden.

Dubai Honour (1-1) placed second, Straight (19-1) third, Alleno (10-1) fourth, Path of Soldier (6-1) fifth and Cold Heart (11-1) last. The final time was 2:29.02 without a run-up on a turf course which was rated good.

It was Goliath’s first win since he scored as the 9-10 favorite in the June 8 running of the 1 1/4-mile La Coupe (G3) at ParisLongchamp. Philip Baron von Ullmann brought Stewart in as a partner right after the gelded son of Adlerflug scored his 25-1 upset July 27 in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (G1) at Ascot.

Goliath was coming off a head loss to First Look as the 7-10 favorite Aug. 16 in the Prix Gontaut-Biron going 1 1/4 miles on soft ground at Deauville, France.