Good news for horseplayers when betting the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) at Longchamp on Sunday: The 16-horse field has no clearcut favorite, which sets up several chances for huge paydays.
With top runners such as City of Troy, Auguste Rodin, Kyprios (he won at Longchamp on Saturday) not entered, and Goliath and Calandagon ineligible as geldings, this may not be a stellar Arc, but it sure could turn into a sensational horse race.
The opening favorite is France-bred Look De Vega at 7-2 with Ireland-bred rival Sosie at 4-1. Star trainer Aidan O’Brien seeks a third Arc win, sending out Los Angeles at 5-1.
Sosie and Look De Vega meet up again following Sosie’s win over Look De Vega in the Qatar Prix Niel (G2) on Sept. 15.
The winner of the 1 ½-mile, $5.5 million Arc earns a fees-paid automatic spot in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on Nov. 2 at Del Mar through the “Win and You’re In’’ challenge series.
The Arc is one of five Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’ races at the track in Paris.
Look De Vega, a 3-year-old colt trained by Carlos and Yann Lerner, is lightly raced. He won in his debut as a 2-year-old, opened 2024 with another win on May 5, then beat Sosie in the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) on June 3.
Sosie turned the tables and beat Look De Vega in the in the 1 ½-mile Prix Neil. Andre Fabre, who trains Sosie as well as Sevenna’s Knight and Mqse De Sevigne, is seeking a record extending ninth victory in the Arc.
Mqse De Sevigne is 20-1 even though the 5-year-old mare is 4-0 in 2024, including the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet (G1). Sevanna’s Knight is 30-1.
Japan looks for its first win in the Arc when trainer Yoshito Yahagi sends out France-bred Shin Emperor at 6-1 odds. The 3-year-old colt finished a credible third to Economics in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1). Also, jockey Yutaka Take will be on board France-bred Al Riffa for trainer Joseph O’Brien after being purchased by Japanese owner Masaaki Matsushima.
In addition to Irish Derby (G1) winner Los Angeles, Aidan O’Brien also sends out Japan-bred Continuous, the 2023 St Leger (G1) winner.
And, you can add England-bred filly Bluestocking (8-1) to the mix after she was supplemented to the race for $132,000 for trainer Ralph Beckett. She won the Prix Vermeille (G1) over the Arc course and distance last month.
In the other “Win and You’re In’’ races, all Group 1s, with their corresponding Breeders’ Cup berths in parentheses: Prix de l’Abbaye (Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint); Prix de l’Opera (Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf); Prix Marcel Boussac-Criterium des Pouliches (Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf); and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Breeder's Cup Juvenile Turf)
1 Zarakem (Christian Demuro, Jerome Reynier), 30-1
2 Fantastic Moon (Rene Piechulek, Sarah Steinberg), 20-1
3 Bluestocking (Rossa Ryan, Ralph Beckett), 8-1
4 Aventure (Stephane Pasquier, Christophe Ferland), 15-1
5 Sosie (Maxime Guyon, Andre Fabre), 4-1
6 Survie (Tom Marquand, Nicolas Clement), 60-1
7 Delius (Iortiz Mendizabal), 10-1
8 Look De Vega (Ronan Thomas, Carlos and Yann Lerner), 7-2
9 Al Riffa (Yutaka Take, Joseph O’Brien), 10-1
10 Los Angeles (Ryan Moore, Aidan O’Brien), 5-2
11 Shin Emperor (Ryusei Sakai, Yoshito Yahagi), 6-1
12 Sevenna’s Knight (Mickael Barzalona, Andre Fabre), 30-1
13 Haya Zark (William Buick, Adrien Fouassier), 60-1
14 Continuous (Christophe Soumillon, Aidan O’Brien), 20-1
15 Sunway (Oisin Murphy, Davi Menuisier), 30-1
16 Mqse De Sevigne (Alexis Pouchin, Andre Fabre), 20-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
