The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is arguably the greatest turf race — heck, the greatest race, period — in the world. And this year’s edition shows why. There are entrants from England, Ireland, France, Japan, Germany and even the United States… well, kinda/sorta (Idaho last ran at Saratoga).
Below are some stats to ponder before you wager on Sunday’s big event:
1) Finish Line
- 22 of the past 29 Arc winners also won their last race.
- 3 of the past 29 Arc winners finished second in their last race.
- 2 of the past 29 Arc winners finished third in their last race.
2) The Long Run
- Over the past 29 years, every Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner’s final prep was contested at 1 ¼ miles or longer.
3) My Favorite Things
- Favorites have won 9 of the past 26 editions of the Arc in which the final odds were available.
4) Against All Odds
- Since 1988, 22 Arc winners went to post at odds of less than 3-1 in their final prep — 18 of them were favored. (Tony Bin in 1988 and Urban Sea in 1993 had no listed odds).
5) Only the Good Try Young
- 59 of the 95 editions of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (62.1 percent) have been captured by three-year-olds.
6) Let’s Talk About Sex
- 6 of the past 29 Arc winners, including 5 of the past 9, have been females.
7) Time Waits for No One
- 17 of the last 29 winners of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last raced within the past three weeks. Only two horses — Lammtarra (in 1995) and Workforce (2010) — hadn’t raced at all in the past two months.
8) Please Mr. Postman
- Since 1988, 24 Arc champions earned a Racing Post Rating of 115 or higher in their last start and had a median RPR of at least 115 in their last three starts.