ParisLongchamp’s Premier Autumn Weekend: Five Breeders’ Cup Qualifiers & Top Picks on the Arc Undercard

ParisLongchamp, the prestigious venue on the western edge of Paris, hosts a European mini-Breeders’ Cup this weekend. The track plays host to an elite international display of horseflesh, fueling an all-day betting frenzy ahead of Sunday’s marquee event.

Beyond Sunday’s main event—the prestigious Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1), the pinnacle of the Old World’s autumn championship—five additional Group 1 stakes highlight the card. Just like the Arc, each of these races serves as a “Win and You’re In” qualifier, granting the winner an automatic berth in the upcoming Breeders’ Cup on Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the leading contenders and top picks for the five prestigious undercard races:

Prix Marcel Boussac (G1), mile, 2-year-old fillies (post 7:40 a.m. ET)

The winner of this prestigious mile contest secures a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

Green Empress, the 9-4 favorite, enters after winning a Group 2 and finishing second in her other three starts behind superstar Sun Goddess, a four-time stakes winner. Expected to thrive in the drop in class, she tops our predictions. Data (6-1) brings two wins—including a Group 3—and has finished in the top three in all four career starts. Meanwhile, Allela (5-1) is a perfect 2-for-2 at this distance, prompting her connections to pay a supplemental entry fee.

The picks: 1 Green Empress 2 Data 3 Allela

Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1), 7 furlongs, 2-year-olds (post 8:15 a.m.)

The winner of this 7-furlong showdown earns a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

Favored Folsom Blues (7-4) is 2-for-3 at the distance, having dominated a Group 1 at the Curragh by six lengths for trainer Joseph O’Brien. Prior to that, he finished a close second to Sun Goddess in a Group 1. His main challenger is Avec Toi (4-1), who is a perfect 4-for-4 at 7 furlongs, including a victory at ParisLongchamp, making him highly dangerous. Amusingly (9-2) also enters the conversation after finishing just a neck short in a mile Group 2 at ParisLongchamp.

The picks: 1 Folsom Blues 2 Avec Toi 3 Amusingly

Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (G1), 5 furlongs, all ages, (post 8:50 a.m.)

The winner of this thrilling 5-furlong sprint earns a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

As always, the Abbaye shapes up as a wide-open cavalry charge with a full field of 15 runners charging down the ParisLongchamp backstretch straightaway. In 2019, England-based filly Glass Slippers captured the race, and the following year she finished second before claiming the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Naana’s Shadow (11-2) led from start to finish in her last outing, securing a course-and-distance victory by 1 3/4 lengths over Shiri (12-1). Shiri, who is 2-for-3 at 5 furlongs and has won at ParisLongchamp, has the credentials to pull off a major upset. Time for Sandals (6-1) has banked $824,774 across 14 turf sprints but has managed only one victory, finishing third on three occasions. Meanwhile, England-based trainer Karl Burke will saddle Miss Yechance (6-1), who has defeated a combined total of 28 rivals in her last two starts at 5 furlongs.

The picks: 1 Naana’s Shadow 2 Shiri 3 Time for Sandals

Prix de l’Opera (G1), 1 1/4 miles, fillies & mares 3 and up (post 10:50 a.m.)

The winner of this 1 1/4-mile championship for fillies and mares secures a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Aventure (11-8), who finished second in the 2024 Arc, showed immense class by defeating the brilliant Diamond Necklace—then a perfect 6-for-6 lifetime—in a Group 1 at Deauville. Aventure is a flawless 2-for-2 over 1 1/4 miles. Miss Scott (8-1) represents a live longshot opportunity for the powerhouse training duo of John and Thady Gosden, stepping up in class after an impressive 3 3/4-length runaway in a 9-furlong Group 3. Pink Panthera (4-1) enters on the strength of consecutive seconds in her first three Group races.

The picks: 1 Aventure 2 Miss Scott 3 Pink Panthera

Prix de la Foret (G1), 7 furlongs, 3 and up (post 11:25 a.m.)

The winner of this 7-furlong contest earns a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). Notably, legendary runners like Goldikova (2010) and Space Blues (2021) completed the double, winning both races in their respective campaigns.

Thesecretadversary (5-2) endured an off day, finishing sixth in the mile Prix Jacques Le Marois (G1) at Deauville, but he previously scored going 7 furlongs in the Prix Jean Prat (G1) at the same venue. He is expected to bounce back to top form here. Morning-line favorite Samangan (2-1) snapped a four-race losing streak with a victory in a 6 1/2-furlong Group 1 at Deauville, though he is 0-for-3 at 7 furlongs. Aidan O’Brien’s True Love (5-1) has fallen into a five-race slump since winning the 1,000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket, having lost to both Thesecretadversary and Samangan in recent outings.

The picks: 1 Thesecretadversary 2 Samangan 3 True Love

Ed McNamara is an award-winning racing journalist who has covered the sport since 1981 for prominent outlets including The Bergen (N.J.) Record, Newsday, ESPN, Thorocap, and USRacing. He is the author of Cajun Racing: From the Bush Tracks to the Triple Crown and Racing Around the World, and has contributed to major reference volumes such as The Most Glorious Crown and The Racetracks of America. Additionally, his insights have been featured in leading racing publications across both France and Italy.

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