Rubaiyat German stallion first crop 2026, Digi Mart USA News (Germany): Despite the small number of thoroughbred mares in Germany, fewer than 1,000, many of them top-class mares that visit England or Ireland in the spring, the country still has 48 stallions. Following the retirements of top stallions such as Monsun, Adlerflug and Soldier Hollow, the German stallion roster lacks confirmed stars, and the local leader, Sea The Moon, winner of the German Derby, is standing in England.
Some stallions have significant potential, including the highly anticipated Torquator Tasso, winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, as well as Japan, Tunnes and Fantastic Moon. This year, however, Rubaiyat has clearly stood out with his first crop of two-year-olds.
From a limited two-year-old program in Germany, Rubaiyat’s first crop has produced five individual winners. One of them, Mahasti, won a Listed race at Hannover and had already won the highly regarded BBAG-Auktionsrennen before finishing second in the Preis der Winterkonigin (Gr.3), Germany’s equivalent of the Prix Marcel Boussac.
Rubaiyat himself was precocious. In 2019 he earned the title of German Horse of the Year at age two, a rare feat, especially since the German two-year-old program is not highly developed.
Trained by Henk Grewe, he remained unbeaten at two, winning his maiden, then a Listed race, and two Group races in succession. He first won the Preis Der Winterfavoriten (Gr.3) ahead of the excellent Wonderful Moon, then won the Gran Criterium (Gr.2) in Italy by five lengths.
Rubaiyat continued his career as an ironman until age five in 2022, winning another Group race in his final start at the end of October. He won five Group races in total, at least one in each of his seasons.
Racing from Germany to Italy, he ran 25 times and finished in the top five only three times. He also won two Listed races and placed in ten Group races.
His pedigree is as notable as his racing record. His sire, Areion, who died in 2022, was one of the leading German sires of the 21st century, with a production more oriented toward speed than most local breeding.
Areion was considered the best successor to Big Shuffle. Big Shuffle was the son of the obscure Super Concorde, an Irish sprinter who had a dazzling record in the 1990s in Germany, when racing there was still flourishing.
Rubaiyat’s dam is by Lomitas, who produced another black-type winner. He is a nephew of the classic winner Tin Horse and of the Listed winner Becomes You.
His cousin Jadoomi won two Group races this year in England and Ireland over a mile, then finished third in the QEII Stakes (Gr.1) at Ascot against a field of champions. The family traces back to Blue Bresil.
Rubaiyat stands for a fee of 8,500 euros at Gestut Ohlerweiherhof in the Saarland region near Saarbrucken, not far from the French border near Forbach and Sarreguemines.
