Arc weekend in Paris likely provided some Breeders' Cup contenders
Oct. 7 (UPI) - While American racing was preoccupied with a weekend full of Breeders' Cup preps, Europe was fixated on Paris and the Prix de l' Arc de Triomphe program at Longchamp - conveniently also the site of a clutch of Breeders' Cup trials.
There was more action in Australia, Japan, England and Hong Kong.
(All races sponsored by Qatar except as noted.)
Juddmonte ponied up €120,000 to supplement its outstanding filly Bluestocking to Sunday's Group 1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and saw the investment pay off as she rolled home first in the climactic race of the European season, earning just north of €2.5 million.
After stalking the pace set by Coolmore's Los Angeles, Bluestocking asserted herself through the final 100 meters and won by 1 1/4 lengths over Aventure, with Los Angeles a gallant third.
It was the seventh Arc victory for Juddmonte, which soldiers on since the death of its lynchpin, Khalid Abdulah.
Enable won twice, in 2017 and 2018 and went on from the latter victory to post a unique double by landing the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs a month later. Bluestocking earned a "Win and You're In" berth for that same race Nov. 2 at Del Mar but seems unlikely to take the bid.
Makarova took the 5-furlong Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye Longchamp Longines, a "Win and You're In" for the Prevagen Breeders' Cup Sprint, pulling away in the final meters to defeat the favorite, Bradsell, by 1 1/4 lengths. Believing was third.
The Breeders' Cup bid will go begging as Makarova, a 5-year-okld Acclamation mare is being retired, trainer Ed Walker said. Bradsell, however, is likely to pick up the baton.
Friendly Soul took the lead a little early in the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera Longines, a 2,000-meter "Win and You're In" for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, faced a stiff challenge in the late going and rallied to win by 3/4 length over Running Lion.
Trainer John Gosden said there is "every possibility" the filly could contest the Breeders' Cup race.
The 7-furlong Group 1 Prix de la Foret was the sole Group race on the program not a "Win and You're In," but still might have produced a likely contender for the turf Mile at Del Mar in Ramatuelle.
The Justify filly, coming off a three-months layoff, kicked away in the final 100 meters to win by 3 lengths over the favorite, Kinross.
Vertical Blue put the 33-1 zap on eight rivals, including odds-on favorite Zarigana, in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac for 2-year-old fillies, a 1-mile "Win and You're In" for the John Deere Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
The Mehmas filly was up in the final stride to nip Zarigana for her third straight win while stepping well up in class.
The ever-dangerous team of Coolmore and trainer Aidan O'Brien got the job done with Camille Pissarro in Sunday's Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere 2-year-olds. The 7-furlong event was a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.
Kyprios added a second win in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran to his burgeoning stack of staying victories Saturday at Longchamp. The 6-year-old son of Galileo made all and finished 2 lengths ahead of Trueshan with Ryan Moore , as usual, aboard for Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore.
Also Saturday, Ramadan won the 1-mile, Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein in a mild upset; Grateful turned in a bigger upset in the Group 1 Prix Royallieu at 1 3/4 miles for fillies and mares; Jayarebe won the Group 2 Prix Dollar by a head from Almaqam; and Illinois, the odds-on favorite, scored by 2 lengths in the 1 7/8-miles Group 2 Prix Chaudenay.
Lady Shenandoah blitzed to a 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday's Darley Flight Stakes, a 1-mile adventure for 3-year-old fillies. Harlem Queen was best of the rest with the favorite, Snow in May, third.
Lady Shendoah, a Snitzel filly, backed up her season-opening victory in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty for trainer Chris Waller. It was virtually a consolation win for Waller, who saw unbeaten Autumn Glow scratched on the eve of the race.
"Autumn Glow, she's a star. But this little girl here, she's pretty good, too," said Waller, who had a pretty good stakes weekend himself.
Land Legend upset Saturday's Group 1 James Squire Metropolitan Handicap, finishing a nose better than Godolphin filly Zardozi with the favorite, Unusual Legacy, well back in third.
The 1 1/2-mile heat always promised to be wide-open. Land Legend, a 5-year-old, Irish-bred Galileo gelding, is another import trained by Waller.
Ceowulf, the lukewarm favorite, unleashed a furious stretch rally, breezed by the leaders and prevailed by a bit more than 1 length over Tom Kitten in Saturday's TAB Epsom Handicap.
The 4-year-old Tavistock gelding finished the 1 mile in 1:34.46. "He's an amazing athlete, and as I say, the best is yet to come," winning trainer Joe Pride said. "He'll run a little bit further than that but no need to toy with that too much at the moment.''
Via Sistina edged stablemate Bucakroo by a neck at the end of Saturday's 2,000-meter TAB Turnbull Stakes with the favorite, Elyaaas, relegated to third. Chris Waller trains the first two finishers.
Via Sistina, a 7-year-old, Irish-bred mare by Fastnet Rock, won the Grade I Winx Stakes at Randwick in her seasonal debut but disappointed in fifth in the Group 1 Makybe Diva in her last. On to the Cox Plate?
Arte Veloce improved to 2-for-2 with a late-running win in Saturday's Grade 2 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup for 2-year-olds at Tokyo Racecourse. The Maurice colt rallied outside the front-runners and was just up in time to win by 1 length while stretching out to 1 mile.
Tomfana got to the lead 2 furlongs out in Saturday's G1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket and held off Inspiral easily for a 2-length victory. The German-bred filly, by Soldier Hollow, was coming off a win in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes at Sandown.
Hong Kong
Reigning Hong Kong Horse of the year Romantic Warrior got a good warmup for the new season with an unchallenged romp in a barrier trial Saturday at Happy Valley Racecourse.
The winner of eight Group 1 races, including last season's Group 1 Cox Plate in Australia and Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen in Japan, is pointed to the COCHK Jockey Club Cup in November, the local prep for the Longines Hong Kong Cup in December - a race he already won twice.
Trainer Danny Shum said success in those efforts could lead to giving Romantic Warrior a shot in some of the world's premier dirt races, mentioning the Group 1 Saudi Cup and the Group 1 Dubai World Cup.
