Wet Course, Large Field Muddy Predictions for Arc de Triomphe
Today’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe has a huge field, a $1.5-million purse and a soft turf course, but no clear-cut favorite.
The 1 1/2-mile race at Longchamp drew 23 entries, none of whom was able to dominate the top English and French events this year.
Add to that the recent rains that made the grass footing soft, and it’s a wide-open race.
Wemyss Bight and Hernando were the early favorites, along with User Friendly, the runner-up last year behind Subotica.
Hernando has won eight Group One races, but course conditions and the distance aren’t in his favor, according to his trainer, Francois Boutin.
“He doesn’t like the heavy terrain and the distance of 2,400 meters represents a maximum for him,” Boutin said.
The race for 3-year-olds and up offers $900,000 to the winner. Wemyss Bight won the Irish Oaks and Hernando was the French Derby winner.
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