Powerhouse stables clash in Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Euro/Mideast Road
Camille Pissarro (blue and orange silks) swoops past Rashabar in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere
Camille Pissarro (blue and orange silks) won the 2024 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Photo by Horsephotos.com)
The Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby passes through France on Sunday, in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1) at ParisLongchamp. Scheduled as the second race (8:15 a.m. ET) on the action-packed Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Day card, the Lagardere features promising prospects for high-profile connections.
Aside from offering points on the 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers, applicable to the Euro/Mideast Road leaderboard, the Lagardere is also a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race. It’s a “Win and You’re In” for the Juvenile Turf (G1) at Del Mar.
The early favorite, Rayif, is an unbeaten homebred from the historic Aga Khan Studs. Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, who currently tops the French trainers’ standings, Rayif improved from a narrow debut score to win the Prix Francois Boutin (G3) decisively. Both of those starts came at Deauville, and he aims to stay perfect as the stage shifts to Paris.
The streaking Nighttime, a grandson of 2009 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) star Midday, recently captured the Prix la Rochette (G3) over this course and seven-furlong distance. The third-placer in the la Rochette, Vardif (a stablemate of Rayif), will re-oppose Nighttime here. A Wertheimer et Frere homebred, Nighttime has won four straight for trainer Christopher Head.
But the leading French juveniles will have to deal with shippers representing the prolific Godolphin and Coolmore operations.
Aidan O’Brien, who racked up his ninth Lagardere victory last year with Camille Pissarro, relies on Puerto Rico. The Coolmore homebred was pitched into Group company when he was still a maiden, and he competed respectably before breaking through in the Champagne (G2) at Doncaster. That marked his first try at this seven-furlong distance, suggesting that there’s more to come.
Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby sends out Time to Turn, who’s 2-for-2 since stepping up to seven furlongs. After romping at Wolverhampton, the homebred held on from A Bit of Spirit in the July 25 Pat Eddery S. at Ascot.
The Clive Cox-trained A Bit of Spirit went on to place second to Godolphin’s highly-regarded Morris Dancer in the one-mile Stonehenge S. at Salisbury. Back down in trip to seven furlongs, A Bit of Spirit gamely prevailed in a blanket finish in the Solario (G3) at Sandown.
Rounding out the field are Jean-Claude Rouget’s Campacite, a listed stakes winner at Deauville, and longshots Cielo di Roma and Imperial Me Cen.
The Lagardere is one of six “Win and You’re In” events for various Breeders’ Cup divisions at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, and you can watch and wager on them all at TwinSpires.com.
Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby sends out Time to Turn, who’s 2-for-2 since stepping up to seven furlongs. After romping at Wolverhampton, the homebred held on from A Bit of Spirit in the July 25 Pat Eddery S. at Ascot.
The Clive Cox-trained A Bit of Spirit went on to place second to Godolphin’s highly-regarded Morris Dancer in the one-mile Stonehenge S. at Salisbury. Back down in trip to seven furlongs, A Bit of Spirit gamely prevailed in a blanket finish in the Solario (G3) at Sandown.
Rounding out the field are Jean-Claude Rouget’s Campacite, a listed stakes winner at Deauville, and longshots Cielo di Roma and Imperial Me Cen.
The Lagardere is one of six “Win and You’re In” events for various Breeders’ Cup divisions at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, and you can watch and wager on them all at TwinSpires.com.
