Breeders' Cup Turf: Arc winner Solemia on fence; decision to come by Friday

Solemia, the winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris on Sunday, will make the final start of her career outside of France. It remains to be seen whether she will start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 or the Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on Nov. 25.

There were mixed signals on Wednesday. Trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias said a decision will be made on Friday.
“It’s between the Breeders’ Cup and the Japan Cup,” Laffon-Parias said in a telephone interview.

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Pierre Yves-Bureau, the racing manager for owners Alain and Gerard Werheimer, told the British press that the Japan Cup was preferred because of the timing. The 4-year-old Solemia is expected to be retired at the end of the year.

The presence of Solemia would add significant depth the BC Turf. She would be the first Arc de Triomphe winner to run in the BC Turf since Dylan Thomas was fifth as the 4-5 favorite at Monmouth Park in 2007.

Workforce, the 2010 winner of the Arc, was a late scratch from the BC Turf at Churchill Downs that year because of firm turf.

Last year, Arc winner Danedream made her next start in the Japan Cup, finishing sixth.

Solemia was a 40-1 winner of the Arc de Triomphe, her fifth win in 13 starts and first Group 1 win.

“She looks very well and everything is okay,” Parias said. “She had a hard race, but nothing is wrong.”

Even if Solemia does not start, a large foreign contingent is expected for the BC Turf.

As of Wednesday, the list of foreign candidates included Chinchon, Imperial Monarch, Sea Moon, St Nicholas Abbey, Trailblazer, and Treasure Beach. They will face an American team led by the New York-based multiple stakes winner Point of Entry.

Chinchon, trained by Parias, won the Grade 1 United Nations Handicap at Monmouth Park in 2010. He may have a prep race in the Prix du Conseil de Paris at Longchamp on Oct. 21.

St Nicholas Abbey and Sea Moon, the first two finishers in the 2011 BC Turf at Churchill Downs, were 12th and eighth in the Arc de Triomphe.

Imperial Monarch is scheduled to start in Sunday’s Canadian International at Woodbine.

Trailblazer was second in the Arroyo Seco Mile at Santa Anita last Saturday, his American debut and first start since May. Trailblazer will remain in Southern California for the BC Turf.