Hurricane Lane looms Arc threat after blowout in Grand Prix de Paris

Hurricane Lane ran his record to five wins from six starts and won his second straight Group 1 race over 1 1/2 miles, following up on his Irish Derby victory with an extremely impressive six-length tally Wednesday in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp.

Hurricane Lane, improving race by race, now looks a major threat for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October – though it’s not even certain he’s the best 3-year-old in his barn.

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Hurricane Lane’s lone loss was a third-place finish in the Derby at Epsom, a race won by Adayar, a colt, like Hurricane Lane, trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin. Adayar hasn’t raced since the Derby but is set to tackle older rivals July 24 at Ascot in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. It’s hardly apples to apples, but in April at Sandown, in his first start this season, Adayar finished second to Alenquer, who on Wednesday was beaten more than seven lengths by Hurricane Lane.

Hurricane Lane won the Irish Derby by a mere neck over good ground and might, according to jockey William Buick, have preferred the softer surface he found Wednesday at Longchamp. Hurricane Lane jumped right into the fray in the Grand Prix de Paris, racing closest to lonely leader The Mediterranean, a 50-1 pacesetter who was one of three entered by trainer Aidan O’Brien. Buick edged into contention with Hurricane Lane through Longchamp’s false stretch, and when the horses straightened up for the finish, Hurricane Lane took full command and widened his advantage to the conclusion.

Hurricane Lane is by Frankel out of Gale Force, by Shirocco. Buick said the colt keeps getting better, and if the trajectory remains the same in coming months, he’ll be hard for anyone to beat over 12 furlongs this autumn.