It is not like the England-based trainer Ralph Beckett has a horse for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe every year. Beckett runs a fine, successful stable regularly populated with high-level performers, but we’re not talking about Ballydoyle here. And so it must have felt to Beckett like he’d missed a golden chance to win his first Arc when Westover ran into the brilliant Ace Impact finishing second a year ago. But on Sunday at soggy Longchamp Racecourse, Beckett went one place better. The 4-year-old filly Bluestocking, supplemented into the race earlier this week at a cost of about $131,000, pulled a perfect trip under first-time Arc winner Rossa Ryan and made the most of it, winning the Arc by 1 1/4 lengths over the 3-year-old filly Aventure, who got seven pounds from the winner. Three weeks ago, the same horses finished first and second in the Prix Vermeille, Longchamp’s filly and mare Arc prep. Beckett thought enough of the performance that owner-breeder Juddmonte made a large gamble on Bluestocking that paid off with their seventh Arc winner. :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. Bluestocking broke from post 3 and immediately took up a position in the pocket, sitting behind pacesetting Los Angeles. Ryan found room when he needed it in upper stretch, powered past Los Angeles, and Bluestocking found more than enough holding clear Aventure, who emerged from the pack in midstretch as the only horse with a chance at Bluestocking. Turned out no one had a chance. Los Angeles held third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Aventure and 1 1/2 ahead of fourth-place Sosie, favored but unable to produce the necessary late run after sitting a favorable trip. The Japanese 3-year-old Shin Emperor finished 12th, one place ahead of well-regarded Look de Vega. The longshot Haya Zark was pressing the pace when he was pulled up with what appeared to be a serious injury less than halfway through the 1 1/2-mile contest. The Arc was run over very soft ground and Bluestocking required 2:31.58 to complete the course. She paid $13 in American wagering. By Camelot out of Emulous, by Dansili, Bluestocking rated as a leading 3-year-old filly during 2023 despite losing all six of her starts. This year, taking a considerable step forward, she began her campaign winning May 16 at York, following that with her first Group 1 in the Pretty Polly at The Curragh. She finished second in the King George, beaten soundly by the 4-year-old Goliath, who, like the extremely talented French 3-year-old Calandagan, couldn’t run in the Arc because of an antiquated rule barring geldings. Bluestocking finally took a step back finishing fourth in the International over ground perhaps firmer than ideal for her before rebounding in the Vermeille and winning the Arc in her sixth start of the season. Given her long campaign, a tough race a month out, and the prospect of a long ship to California to race over a fast-ground course at Del Mar, one wonders if Juddmonte and Beckett would consider a trip to the Breeders’ Cup, either for the Filly and Mare Turf or the Turf. English bookmakers priced the filly up for the Filly and Mare Turf, but connections in published reports Sunday made no mention of Bluestocking’s future. Who knows if Beckett’s future holds another Arc win? But just a year after coming close, Sunday saw a Beckett breakthrough. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.