Solemia one of five fillies in the 2012 Arc
Solemia’s success in Sunday’s G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe provided her sire, Poliglote, with his first top level winner in the Northern Hemisphere. He had previously sired three Argentinian G1 winners. To date, Poliglote has sired 30 stakes winners, and the earners of over $40 million.
Solemia is one of numerous G1 winners bred on the famous Sadler’s Wells/Shirley Heights cross. Other notables bred on these lines include classic winners High Chaparral (Epsom Derby), Milan (St Leger), Treasure Beach (Irish Derby) and Alexandrova (Oaks). The reverse cross has produced classic winners Conduit (St Leger) and Reliable Man (French Derby). The same Sadler’s Wells/Shirley Heights “nick” produced 2012 Prix de’l Opera winner, Ridasiyna (Motivator).
The 4yo filly was sent off at odds of 42-1 – making her one of the longer priced recent winners – but some way shorter than the race’s greatest long shot (119-1 Star Appeal in 1975).
She continued the great run enjoyed by females in the world’s leading races. Solemia joins the likes of Zenyatta, Black Caviar, Goldikova, Moonlight Cloud, Danedream, Havre de Grace and Rachel Alexandra to conquer top-class males in major recent races.
The second successive female to win the Arc, following Danedream in 2011. Last year, fillies filled the first three places in the Arc. There have been 17 female winners of the Arc de Triomphe.
Solemia was one of five fillies in the 2012 Arc.
Her grandsire Sadler’s Wells sired two Arc winners (Carnegie, Montjeu), and is the damsire of two others (Sakhee, Workforce). He has had two sons sire Arc winners – Montjeu sired 2005 Arc hero, Hurricane Run.
Third home in the Arc, Masterstroke, is a grandson of two Arc winners – Lammtarra and Urban Sea.
Solemia is the first since Sagamix (1998) to win her maiden G1 race in the Arc.
Fillies featured prominently on Sunday’s Arc card. They ran 1-4 in the Arc de Triomphe, and Molly Malone beat the males in the G1 Prix Du Cadran. Another of the fairer sex, What A Name, ran second in the G1 Prix Jean Lac Lagardere against some of Europe’s best 2yo males.
