France: Torquator Tasso ($145) storms to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe upset
Race favorites Tarnawa and Hurricane Lane ran to form in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday at Longchamp. The German 4-year-old Torquator Tasso did not, storming past those two in the dying strides to post a 71-1 upset in the 100th Arc.
Torquator Tasso’s connections brought their colt to Paris hoping for plenty of rain - and got it. The ground at Longchamp was rated “heavy” Sunday and Torquator Tasso loved it. Well positioned from the start, stalking the pace on the outside under first-time Arc jockey Rene Piecheluk, Torquator Tasso didn’t really find his best stride until the final furlong, surging to get up by three quarters of a length. Tarnawa won a photo over Hurricane Lane for the place spot as Adayar, racing a little too eagerly during the early stages, led to midstretch before fading to fourth.
Then came Snowfall, Chrono Genesis, Bubble Gift, Alenquer, Mojo Star, Broome, Raabihah, and Baby Rider, with Deep Bond last in a field reduced to 14 when Love was scratched Saturday night because of an elevated temperature. Winning time for the 1 1/2 miles was a glacial 2:37.62, showing just how testing course conditions were Sunday after a rainy fall weekend.
Torquator Tasso carried 131 pounds, giving three pounds to the mare Tarnawa and seven to 3-year-old Hurricane Lane.
Torquator Tasso paid $145 on the North American tote while becoming the third German Arc winner following Danedream in 2011 and Star Appeal in 1975.
Piecheluk, a 34-year-old who began riding professionally in 2011, obviously won his first Arc, as did German trainer Marcel Weiss, a longtime assistant who went out on his own less than two years ago.
Torquator Tasso was Horse of the Year in Germany as a 3-year-old of 2020 and came into the Arc after a second-place finish behind the excellent English filly Alpinista in the Grosser Preis von Berlin in August and a solid win over 3-year-old Sisfahan in the Grosser Preis von Baden in September. Connections believed ample give in the Longchamp course would give their colt a chance and they were proven correct.
Breaking alertly enough from post 12, Torquator Tasso settled nicely for Piecheluk while five horses sorted themselves out going toward the turning portion of the historic race. Adayar, racing for the first time since July 24 after missing an intended September prep, initially was snugged behind rivals by William Buick but pulled for his head and was taken outside and allowed to lead into the turn. The Japanese mare Chrono Genesis broke from the far outside post and raced in the middle of the course in the early stages before dropping into a pressing position. All that left the eventual winner sixth into and around the bend while racing behind and just outside Alenquer.
The field bunched between the eight- and nine-furlong markers, Tarnawa and Hurricane Land beside one another, buried midpack in a storm of mud kicked up from the soaked course as Piecheluk kept his mount in the clear. Adayar strode clear at the quarter pole, the head of the final home straight, as Christophe Soumillon on Tarnawa hit gaps along the inside and James Doyle on Hurricane Lane found daylight five paths from the rail. Torquator Tasso couldn’t keep up at this point, but with 300 yards to run, as Adayar hit a wall, he found his rhythm, closing on the leaders and making the front with 50 yards left.
"We would have been very happy if he'd finished third, fourth, fifth or sixth - we would have considered that a success,” Weiss said. “You can't really go higher than the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - I've dreamt about it, and now I've won it. It's absolutely unreal."
Torquator Tasso is by the late German stallion Adlerflug, who also sired 2020 Arc runner-up In Swoop, and out of Tijuana, by Toylsome. He was bred by Paul Vandenberg and is owned by Gestut Auenquelle.
The Arc is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, but Torquator Tasso seems unlikely to accept his automatic fees-paid berth into the BC Turf, though Weiss did mention a possible trip for the Japan Cup. Tarnawa, who ran admirably for second over laboring ground that blunted her brilliance, probably will be shipped to Del Mar, where she is more likely to start in the BC Turf, which she won last year at Keeneland, than in the Filly and Mare Turf.