The Arc and the Breeders’ Cup
A Bridge (Across the Pond) Too Far?
Joseph Di Rienzi
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, run on the first Sunday in
October usually at Hippodrome Longchamp just outside Paris, France, is one of
the premier races in the world and certainly the centerpiece of the French
racing season. This 1½ mile contest on grass at weight for age with a female sex
allowance is open to thoroughbreds three years and older and consistently draws
the best horses of a particular year from France, Ireland, England, Germany and
sometimes even Japan. Winning the Arc is tantamount to being hailed a European
champion. Since the Breeders’ Cup events were begun in the United States in
1984 and the organization that runs them (the Breeders’ Cup Limited) self-proclaimed
its races to be “The World Thoroughbred Championships”, there has been a
temptation on the part of the connections of an Arc winner to travel across the
Atlantic Ocean and showcase their horse’s superiority before an American audience.
The timing is suitable with the Arc typically run three or four weeks before
Breeders’ Cup Day. However, to date no racehorse who has won the Arc has been
able in the same year to follow that triumph with a win in a Breeders’ Cup
race. This precedent will be sorely tested in 2018 if the mighty filly Enable,
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine in 2017 and 2018, is entered in the Breeders’
Cup.
The most logical Breeders’ Cup race for an Arc victor to
compete in is the Breeders’ Cup Turf run under the same 1½ mile conditions. The
first Arc winner to come to America and attempt to complete the double in the
same year was Khalid Abdullah’s Dancing Brave in 1986 when the Breeders’ Cup
was staged at Santa Anita Park. Dancing Brave was widely regarded as one of the
best horses to race in Europe in the previous 30 years. Brilliant in winning the
2000 Guineas Stakes and the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Dancing
Brave’s only lost coming into the Breeders’ Cup Turf was a fast closing second in the Epsom Derby. The Juddmonte Farms’ color
bearer (nom de course for Khalid Abdullah) put an exclamation point on his
European campaign with a scintillating victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Arrayed against Dancing Brave in the 9 horse Breeders’ Cup Turf field included
the soon to be U. S. champion mare Estrapade, international racehorse
Theatrical and Bradley M. Shannon’s American three year-old turf star Manila.
With his soaring reputation, Dancing Brave went to the post as the 1-2 betting favorite.
However, there were some dark clouds. The travel from England to California is
always arduous, and the change in climate could be unsettling. Dancing Brave’s
trainer, Guy Harwood, also noticed his star colt had lost some weight, never a
good sign. As expected, Estrapade bounded to the front setting sensible
fractions for the 1½ mile race with Theatrical tracking 2 lengths behind.
Manila was fourth, and Dancing Brave was back in seventh place around the
second turn. Theatrical drew alongside of
Estrapade around the stretch turn, as Dancing Brave made a threatening move to
reach fourth place only to flatten out in the final drive. Manila, who was just
behind the leading pair as they straightened out for the stretch, had to alter
course and swing wide around both Estrapade and Theatrical. Just before the finish
it looked like Theatrical had the race won, but Manila showing the resolution
of a champion closed suddenly to win by an outstretched neck. Theatrical was 3¾
lengths in front of Estrapade who kept third by 2¾ lengths ahead of an “over
the top” Dancing Brave.
The very next year another Arc winner tried to complete the
Arc-Breeders’ Cup Turf double. This year’s representative was Paul De Moussac
and Summa Stable’s Kentucky bred but French
raced bright chestnut Trempolino who was a smashing winner at Longchamp. The
venue for the 1987 Breeders’ Cup races had stayed in California but moved to
Hollywood Park. However, Trempolino who
did not have as imposing a reputation as Dancing Brave faced a stern rival in
Theatrical owned jointly by Bert Firestone and Allen Paulson. A close second in last year’s Turf, Theatrical
was having a championship year racing in the U. S. winning several major turf
races. To most people’s expectations this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf was decided
between the two favorites - Theatrical and Trempolino. Pat Day on Theatrical had his mount forwardly placed
early and when the challenge came from the French runner, Day had made sure he
saved some of Theatrical’s strength for the finish. In a rousing stretch battle,
Theatrical prevailed by a ½ length over Trempolino, his closing rally somewhat
muted by slow middle fractions.
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| Trempolino (left) and Theatrical in 1987 Breeders’ Cup Turf (bloodhorse.com) |
Three years later (1990) the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Belmont Park was populated by European horses, some of which had already won major races in North America. However, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victor, Bruce McNall and hockey star Wayne Gretzy’s Saumarez, was just coming off an upset win in Europe’s premier race. Perhaps knowing that no Arc winner had ever won the Breeders’ Cup Turf, favoritism went to the Andre Fabre trained entry of In the Wings and French Glory, the former a multiple major winner in Europe and the latter recent victor of the Rothmann International in Canada. North America’s best hopes appeared to be El Senor and the Canadian bred, but mostly U. S. raced With Approval.
The Turf was its usual exciting race with With Approval making a bold move around the turn to take the
lead whereas, In the Wings, under jockey Gary Stevens, waited until the stretch run
to make his rally. In a protracted duel, In the Wings wore down the game With
Approval to win by a ½ length with El Senor closing to finish third, another 1½
lengths behind. Saumarez was rank early and, after being wrestled back
by his rider, was forced to steady around the far turn and could finish no
better than fifth place. The winner owned by Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum, a son
of super European sire Sadler’s Wells, had finished a closing fourth in the
Arc, demonstrating that running in the Arc does not prevent a horse from
winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf, just as long as he/she does not win the
Arc.
In 1992 the Breeders’ Cup was held at Gulfstream Park in
Florida, and that year the Breeders’ Cup Turf had an extremely accomplished 10
horse field. In addition to the leading North American turf horse, Sky Classic, there were two English Derby
winners (Dr. Devious (1992) and Quest For Fame (1990)), and the year’s Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe winner, Oliver Lecerf and Paul de Moussac’s Subotica. Strong American based
runners such as Navarone, Solar Splendor and Madeleine Paulson’s Fraise made it a challenging race to analyze. The
public, however made Sky Classic the strong favorite, and the five year-old ran
his trademark strong race. However, it was Fraise, who slipped through on the
rail closing from last place to nip Sky Classic at the finish by a nose. Third,
2 lengths behind was Quest For Fame with Dr. Devious in fourth place and
Subotica, maintaining the dubious tradition of no Arc champion winning the Turf
in the same year, finished fifth.
It was nine years later (2001) that another horse would try
to break the precedent, but this time it was a little different. Just 12 miles
from the then recent devastating terrorist attack on the World Trade Center,
Belmont Park was a poignant venue for the 18th Breeders’ Cup. The
question leading up to the Breeders’ Cup Turf was who of Godolphin Racing’s pre-entered contenders,
Fantastic Light and Sakhee, would run in the Turf and who
would run on dirt in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Five year-old Fantastic Light had
raced worldwide the past two years running in five different countries. He was
fifth in last year’s Turf, but in 2001 he had won three group I races in Europe
including in his most recent start an upset victory over previously unbeaten
Galileo in the
Irish Champion Stakes. His stablemate, four year-old Sakhee, had, until
recently, a more modest resume. However, he had accomplished two runaway wins
in his most recent starts, the Juddmonte International Stakes and the Prix de
l’Arc de Triomphe. Up until final entry time it was thought the Godolphin
Racing team would enter Fantastic Light in the
Classic and Sakhee in the Turf, but when entries were taking their positions
were reversed.
Fantastic Light did his part in winning the Turf, but Arc
victor Sakhee appeared to have a more arduous task racing on the dirt at 1¼
miles against top American competition.
In the 13 horse field was last year’s winner and 2000 Horse of the Year,
Cees Stable’s Tiznow. Also entered, was Belmont
Park loving Albert the Great, 2000 Two Year-old Champion,
Macho Uno, and top older horse Aptitude. The internationals were
headed by Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor’s Galileo who had been an unbeaten English and Irish
Derby winner until upset in his previous start by Fantastic Light.
As the Classic field left the starting gate along the
Belmont Park clubhouse turn, longshot Orientate went right to the lead from his no. 1 post.
Albert the Great quickly went up to challenge followed by
Tiznow under a strong hold from Chris McCarron. Galileo was drafting in a
forward position with Sakhee tracking just behind him on the outside. As the
field swept around the Belmont far turn, Albert the Great had a length lead
followed by Tiznow and longshot Guided Tour. Jockey Frankie Dettori sent Sakhee to the leaders on the outside as
Galileo fell behind. Aptitude made a bid from well back, but after going very
wide around the far turn, faltered in the drive. At the top of the stretch, it
was Albert the Great, Tiznow and Sakhee with the last named seemingly having
the most momentum. McCarron urged Tiznow to respond, and the massive son of
Cee’s Tizzy fought back as only the very best can and regained the lead just
before the finish. In an epic duel, Tiznow prevailed by a nose over Sakhee in
mutually tremendous performances. With the Classic run in the shadows of 9/11,
announcer Tom Durkin could be excused some patriotic zeal when he
exclaimed, “Tiznow wins it for America”. Finishing third, 1¾ lengths behind was
Albert the Great who was 2¾ lengths ahead of Macho Uno. Galileo, in his last start
before embarking on breeding immortality, was sixth, and Aptitude finished a
disappointing eighth.
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| Sahkee (left) and Tiznow in 2001 Breeders’ Cup Classic (bloodhorse.com) |
In 2007 the Breeders’ Cup was held at Monmouth Park in
Oceanside, N. J. The Turf had only an 8 horse field, but in the entries were
two former winners, Red Rocks (2006) and Better Talk Now (2004), and this year’s Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe victor, Dylan Thomas. The last mentioned, a son of
Danehill, had a championship season in Europe winning, in addition to the Arc,
the Prix Ganay, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth and the Irish Champion
Stakes. However, there was a factor weighing against the Michael Tabor and Mrs.
John Magnier owned, Aidan O’Brien trainee. Monmouth Park was inundated by rain
before and during the Breeders’ Cup’s now two days, rendering the turf course
soft. Dylan Thomas’ large frame suggested an aversion to very soggy turf
surfaces. The chief U. S. contender was James Scaturochio’s English Channel. The now five year-old son of
Smart Strike was competing in the Turf for the third time; his previous efforts
in 2005 and 2006 resulted in fifth and third place finishes, respectively.
However, the Todd Pletcher trainee was having his best year in 2007.
Dylan Thomas was made the odds-on favorite, but after
racing between horses early, he failed to mount a serious threat in finishing
fifth. Instead, it was second choice, English Channel, ridden by John Velazquez that dominated the race, winning by 7 lengths.
The two latest attempts to complete the Arc – Breeders’ Cup double in the same year were Anthony Oppenheimer’s Golden Horn and Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith’s Found. The former, a John Gosden trained three year-old had, excuse the pun, “a golden year” in 2015 winning among other races the English Derby, Irish Champion Stakes, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. His participation in the Arc was uncertain until just days before when it was determined that the Longchamp turf course would be firm enough for him. However, when Golden Horn crossed the Atlantic to run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf held at Churchill Downs in 2015, the footing was on the soft side. Golden Horn give the race his best effort, but he was overtaken in the stretch by the three year-old filly Found and lost by a ½ length. The winner, who had finished ninth in the Arc was a three year-old daughter of Galileo owned by the Coolmore partnership identified above and trained by Aidan O’Brien. Found gets special mention because the following year (2016) she would lead a 1-2-3 Coolmore owned sweep in the Arc, making her the only horse who has won the Arc and a Breeders’ Cup race (although not in the same year). Her connections tried to go one step further in running her back in the Turf in 2016, but she could only finish third to stablemate Highland Reel.
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| Found (middle) and Golden Horn (right) in 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf (EquSports Photos Wendy Wooley) |
In addition to the 8
horses discussed above who attempted to win a Breeders’ Cup race in the same
year they accomplished their Arc victory, there were others who tried to win a
race on Breeders’ Cup day in the year following their Arc triumph. In 1984, in
the very first Breeders’ Cup, the mare All Along, Arc victress in 1983, ran in
the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Turf. She had run third trying a repeat in the Arc
and finished a close second in the Turf. In 1995, Carnegie, the previous year’s
Arc champion, followed a sixth place finish in the Arc with a third in the
Breeders’ Cup Turf. The year 2000 found the grand racehorse Montjeu, Arc victor
in 1999, ending his racing career with an ingloriously seventh place finish in
the Breeders’ Cup Turf. (He had been upset when finishing fourth in the year’s
Arc.). French bred Bago had won the Prix de l’Arc Triomphe in 2004, but could
only finish third the following year. Sent to the U. S. for the 2005 Breeders’
Cup Turf, he could only muster a fourth place finish. Finally, in 2006
Hurricane Run followed the racing path of his sire, Montjeu, in winning the Arc
(in 2005), losing it the following year (finishing third) and then concluding
his career with an unplacing (sixth) in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
In this compendium of
Arc winners who were not able to win a Breeders’ Cup race, I will add Workforce
with an asterisk. The Khalid Abdullah owned colt had won the Arc in 2010 and
was entered in the Breeders’ Cup Turf run that year at Churchill Downs.
However, on the morning of the race, Workforce’s trainer Sir Michael Stoute
withdrew him due to the conditions (too firm) of the turf course.
As detailed above, history is against Enable in her attempt
to complete the Arc – Breeders’ Cup double. But owner Khalid Abdullah and
trainer John Gosden believe in their filly and are sporting enough to try to
create an enduring legacy for their great champion.
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| Enable (telegraph.co.uk) |
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