Overlapping connections underlie Arc upset

The exacta in Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was swept by the influence of international leading sire Galileo and the holdings of England's Newsells Park Stud.

Galileo is the sire of Waldgeist, who ran down the great Enable to win the Arc. Enable, who was bidding for an unprecedented third consecutive Arc victory, is from the first crop of Galileo's son Nathaniel, who stands at Newsells Park – which also co-owns Waldgeist.

Waldgeist was bred by The Waldlerche Partnership, which comprises Newsells Park, Dietrich von Boetticher's Gestut Ammerland, and Coolmore, which stands Galileo at its Irish headquarters. Waldgeist, who now races for Gestut Ammerland and Newsells Park, has now won eight group stakes races, including four Group 1 events, all in France.

Nathaniel was the leading sire in France in both 2017 and 2018, powered by Enable’s wins in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe both years. The mare is the only horse to win both the Arc and the Breeders’ Cup Turf in the same year, winning the latter in 2018 at Churchill Downs. Overall, the mare owns 10 Group 1 victories; following her runner-up effort in the Arc, her career record stands at 13-1-1 from 15 starts with earnings of more than $13.6 million.

Nathaniel’s other career standouts include Channel, winner of this year’s Group 1 Prix de Diane, and Italian Group 1 winner God Given.