ZATT's Star of the Week, is ... Found!
It would have been easy to select California Chrome, but I am going a different way this week. ZATT's Star of the Week, is ... Found!
While the world's best horse was sensational once again in California, I instead found the victory of the four-year-old daughter of Galileo, just a little bit more important in the grand scheme of things. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is the biggest race in Europe.
Moved to Chantilly this year while Longchamp receives a facelift, the Group 1 race in France has it all. All the prestige and history aside, it always delivers a full field of high class turf horses, and this year was no exception. As has become tradition of late, a filly got it done in the world's most important turf race.
It was the importance of the race, combined with the level of competition, that gave Found the edge over the magnificent California Chrome for this week's top honor. For Found, it was also a win that she badly needed.
Last year's Breeders' Cup Turf champion had been running well in Europe all season long, but after a victory in the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes in May, Found had finished second in five consecutive Group 1 races. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride? Not today!
Given a perfect ride by the master, Ryan Moore, Found strode to a decisive victory. The 1 3/4-length score was the finest race of a career that now will be remembered for generations to come.
While a defense of her crown in the Breeders' Cup Turf is an appealing next out for Found to American racefans, her trainer has not decided between a trip to California or a run on British Champions Day at Ascot.
While winning Europe's biggest race was huge for the career of Found, it was even more massive for her trainer, Aidan O'Brien. Much like the Kentucky Derby record of Todd Pletcher here in the States, one success previous, considering all the great horses he has trained, seemed light for O'Brien. The result of today's edition aptly put an end to any rumblings that O'Brien had underachieved in the Arc. Found was not only the winner, but O'Brien trained horses completed a clean sweep of the top three spots, with Highland Reel and Order of St George. To the victor goes the spoils!