Columnist Ralph Siraco: Sneak peek at European contenders

For the third year in a row Nevada race books imported France's most prestigious race, the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe from Longchamp Racecourse. Beamed in from a half a world away, the Group I turf classic was shown live at the ungodly hour of 6:50 a.m. Sunday morning.

In total, 23 Nevada race books signed up for the early morning races with 20 in the southern part of the Silver State.

The 'Arc-Breeders' Cup connection goes back to the early runnings of the Breeders' Cup and have been represented in all but the first Breeders' Cup Turf in 1984. Four winners of the 'Arc have made the sojourn to the states for a classic parlay -- none have been successful.

Sunday's 'Arc assembled another who's who of Europe's finest with the noted exception of the continent leading Cup contender Swain. That runner completed his Euro-prep for the Breeders' Cup Turf on Sept. 12, winning the Irish Champion Stakes and will now train up to his date at Churchill Downs.

Among the 14 'Arc participants were nine 3-year-olds of which two were fillies.

The Irish and French derbies winner Dream Well and English (Epsom) Derby victor High-Rise led the sophomore class that also included German Group I winner Tiger Hill along with Group I Prix Vermeille winner Leggera and third-place finisher Zainta ably representing the sophomore distaffers.

The first three finishers in the traditional Longchamp 'Arc prep (the Group II Prix Niel on Sept. 13), Sagamiz (1st), Croco Rouge (2nd) and the aforementioned Dream Well, used the outing to have a race over the sprawling massive layout of France's historic turf race course.

Sea Wave, who set a course record at York, Great Britain, bounced back from unseating jockey Lanfranco Dettori in the Prix Neil as that famous European rider reunited with him Sunday.

This 'Arc de Triomphe would belong to the youth.

And the winner may be coming to the Breeders' Cup -- maybe.

On a misty overcast afternoon in Paris, on a soggy yielding course, the $1,250,000 centerpiece was dispatched without fanfare and a 99-to-1 long shot took the lead.

As the field worked up the long back straight, Happy Valentine galloped away to lead by almost a dozen lengths with the baker's dozen packing up four-deep along the inner rail and tracking patiently.

Happy Valentine continued to pace the field by daylight as they raced around the long, sweeping, deliberate and only turn in the 1 1/2 mile event. Leggera, High-Rise and Dream Well had cut Happy Valentine's daylight margin and as the field positioned for the real race.

In the run through the home straight the Valentine had turned to stone.

As Leggera grabbed the lead, Sagamix and Tiger Hill were mounting their rallys from off-the-pace. Croco Rouge, who was moving in unison with the eventual winner, got caught in traffic and had to wait for an opening. Running in an un-American clockwise right to left to the wire, Sagamix would thunder down the center of the straight and rolled right to the 'Arc winners circle. Leggera held second while Tiger Hill completed the trifecta. The troubled Croco Rouge finished a creditable fourth.

Jockey Olivier Peslier won his third 'Arc. Trainer Andre Fabre, considered to be the finest conditioner in Europe, garnered his fifth 'Arc trophy.

Owner Jean-Luc Lagardere, who also bred the winner, was asked what was next on the newest 'Arc winner's agenda. "Rest, but, ...he (Sagamix) came out of the race OK, so..."

Later reports have the Sagamix connections entertaining a Breeders's Cup Turf start.

Lagardere had one Breeders' Cup starter, Luna Wells, who finished 10th in the 1996 Turf. However, Fabre has 26 Breeders' Cup starters with a pair of victories, and boasts the biggest upset in Breeders' Cup history with his win in the 1993 Breeders' Cup Classic. Arcangues paid $269.20 for the shocking upset.

Jerry Bailey, who rode Arcangues to victory, had never seen his partner before that race and didn't even know how to pronounce his name when asked in the pre-race paddock coverage.

If Fabre comes with Sagamix this year you can pronounce it, "Viva La France!"

RALPH SIRACO covers horse racing for the Sun. His column appears Mondays and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Friday on the scoreboard page.

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