Juddmonte’s homebred Bluestocking crowned her season in Sunday’s $5.5 million Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1), giving the late Khalid Abdullah’s operation a record-setting seventh victory in Europe’s fall championship.
“I grew up watching the likes of Rainbow Quest and Dancing Brave,” trainer Ralph Beckett said, referring to Juddmonte’s first two Arc winners in 1985 and 1986, respectively. “It’s a privilege to train for Juddmonte and a great honor.”
Beckett, who was savoring his Arc breakthrough, had come close with another Juddmonte homebred, Westover, last year. Westover made a bid for glory, only to be caught by Ace Impact, and Beckett had that memory flash across his mind when Bluestocking struck the front.
But Bluestocking stayed on too strongly for the pursuing Aventure in an all-filly finish. The Aidan O’Brien-trained Los Angeles, who found himself in the pacesetting role, held third. Sosie, the 7-2 favorite, checked in fourth.
The top two replicated their result from the Prix Vermeille (G1), the fastest of the Sept. 15 Arc trials at ParisLongchamp. The gallant performances by both Bluestocking and Aventure that day persuaded their respective connections to advance to the Arc.
In Bluestocking’s case, the Juddmonte team had to pay €120,000 to supplement her. The daughter of Camelot wasn’t entered in the Arc by the early closing stage this spring because she had yet to win a black-type race.
Yet Bluestocking had proven her Group 1 class already with a couple of high-profile near-misses. Beaten a half-length in last year’s Irish Oaks (G1), she went down by only a neck in the British Champions Fillies & Mares (G1). Bluestocking’s sophomore campaign also featured narrow losses in the Fillies’ Trial at Newbury and the Stand Cup at Chester, along with a third in Royal Ascot’s Ribblesdale (G2).
Returning as a four-year-old in 2024, Bluestocking figured to take care of unfinished business. She wasted no time in declaring her intent when bolting up by six lengths in the May 16 Middleton (G2) at York, and next came her overdue Group 1 laurel in the Pretty Polly (G1) at the Curragh.
Bluestocking then tried her luck versus males, finishing second to Goliath in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth (G1) and fourth behind City of Troy in the Juddmonte International (G1). Reverting to female company appeared the right move going into the Vermeille. Coming out of it, she warranted a crack at the Arc, especially with the rainy forecast in her favor.
Dispatched as the 5.50-1 second choice, Bluestocking broke like a shot from post 3. She accordingly secured a perfect tracking position for young rider Rossa Ryan.
As Los Angeles went forward to lead, Haya Zark stalked until he dropped back rapidly through the field and sustained what proved to be a fatal injury. Amid his tragic circumstance, he virtually eliminated Mqse de Sevigne from the race. Continuous, the lesser-fancied Ballydoyle entrant, was also hampered.
Meanwhile, Bluestocking raced in second with a clear aim on Los Angeles, who was trying to wind it up in the “false” straight. When they turned into the stretch proper, Ryan gave Bluestocking her cue. She swiftly tackled Los Angeles and set sail for home.
“It seemed like an interminable race in the straight,” Beckett said. “I was worried that another horse would come and head her at the business end, as happened with Westover last year, especially as Bluestocking kicked for home early.”
Sosie was within striking range at that point, but the favorite was unable to quicken. Instead, it was the other Wertheimer et Frere homebred, Aventure, who took off in pursuit. She got nearer without managing to bridge enough of the gap.
Bluestocking crossed the wire a 1 1/4-length winner in 2:31.58 for about 1 1/2 miles on the very soft course.
Aventure had 1 1/2 lengths to spare over Los Angeles. Sosie boxed on the same margin astern in fourth, followed by Sevenna’s Knight; Zarakem; Survie; Delius; Fantastic Moon, whose owners wanted to scratch on account of the ground but ran after all to avoid paying a hefty fine; Sunway; Al Riffa; Japan’s Shin Emperor; Look de Vega; Mqse de Sevigne; and Continuous.
Pierre-Yves Bureau, the Wertheimers’ racing manager, was delighted with having the second- and fourth-place finishers in the Arc.
“It’s a magnificent result! Aventure is a very light-framed filly and quite impressive at that. The winner is better, as we saw in the Prix Vermeille.
“Sosie was less at home on this ground, as was clear for all to see in the straight. Despite the very good level of the horses in the race, the ground was a great leveller. Sosie acts well at Longchamp, but Aventure had run very well in the Vermeille.
“We knew that both would run well, but we were sure of one thing regarding Aventure: that this morning’s rain would be to her advantage.”
Aventure had the option of cutting back in trip for Sunday’s Prix de l’Opera (G1) among fillies and mares, but trainer Christophe Ferland was all for sticking to her preferred distance in the Arc.
“There was a pivotal moment which can be summed up in one sentence,” Ferland revealed, “and it’s when Pierre-Yves Bureau said, ‘We have the best filly over 2400 meters,’ and I replied, ‘And so why run her over 2000 meters (in the Opera)?’
“The filly’s entourage asked me if I wanted to go for the Arc and my answer was: ‘Yes. I can’t promise a top-three finish, but she’s going to run one helluva of race.’ And that’s exactly what she did! You have to dare to dream, and I’ve got the owners to do that.”
Bureau confirmed that Aventure and Sosie will race on in 2025.
“Both will remain in training. As things stand, they won’t race again this season because it’s been a long season for both horses.”
The same could be said for Bluestocking, whose Arc victory clinched a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). Beckett wasn’t ruling it out on Sunday, although the Del Mar course would be quicker than ideal for her.
O’Brien mentioned that Los Angeles might wheel back for the Oct. 19 Champion (G1) at Ascot.
British-bred Bluestocking, who has compiled a mark of 13-5-5-1, joins fellow Juddmonte all-stars on the Arc honor roll. Since the aforementioned Rainbow Quest and Dancing Brave, the famed silks have been carried by Rail Link (2006), Workforce (2010), and Enable (2017-18).
Juddmonte had been tied with the legendary owner/breeder Marcel Boussac, whose six Arc winners include Corrida (1936-37), Djebel (1942), Ardan (1944), Caracalla (1946), and Coronation (1949). Six Arc winners have also raced in the name of the Aga Khan at the time, from Migoli (1948) and Nuccio (1952) to Akiyda (1982), Sinndar (2001), Dalakhani (2003), and Zarkava (2008).
Like Boussac and the Aga Khans, Juddmonte has carefully cultivated generations of female lines. Bluestocking is out of Group 1-winning Irish highweight Emulous, a Dansili mare from the immediate family of 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mandaloun.
Continue reading about the Group 1s on the Arc undercard
