Columnist Ralph Siraco: Montjeu records dynamic victory in Paris

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Oct. 4, 1999 | 12:42 p.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Friday. Write to him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107.

At 6:50 a.m. on most Sunday mornings one would be expected to be turning over in bed to comfort oneself for another two to three hours of Sabbath shut-eye. After all, it is the day of rest and the last time most normal people will have a chance to get some extra zzzz's before another week of rush-hour traffic.

But, race players have been called on many occasions anything but normal. So it came as no surprise that a good crowd of onlookers gathered at selected race books in Las Vegas on Sunday at that ungodly hour to watch, and in most cases, wager on one of the world's most prestigious races -- beamed in half a world away from the good old U.S. of A.

Sunday, at Paris, France, the 'Arc was run for the 78th time at Longchamp race course. Of course, here in Las Vegas, all one had to do was travel to the corner of Flamingo and the Strip to Paris Las Vegas to partake in the French festivities.

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for $1.4 million once again attracted the best of Europe in the quest for the coveted prize, those who trekked into the race book early Sunday morning to watch the simulcast of the race may have seen the best horse on that continent in many years.

And if they took a cue from the French pools, the only thing they lost was a little sleep.

Of the 14 horses that traveled the 1 1/2 miles on the sweeping Longchamp layout, nine had their roots in Ireland, three were German-bred and a pair were bred in the bluegrass of Kentucky. So when one asked, 'Who do you like?' and the reply was the Irish-bred, one had to inquire, 'Which one?'

When the follow-up reply was, "the only one," then the deduction led to the once-beaten Euro-sensation Montjeu.

The 3-year-old son of Irish sire Sadler's Wells (by Northern Dancer) had lost only one race in his seven-race career, and the horse who beat him -- Gracioso -- wasn't in the field on Sunday. But, the rest of the "over-the-pond" cream of the crop was.

Of the contenders, the most attention was on Daylami. This gray 10-time winner was the most familiar among the Americans and that was probably the reason for his role as favorite according to the Yanks rather than the home crowd.

Daylami, if you remember, won the Grade I Man 'O War stakes at Belmont Park in September of last year while preparing for a Breeders' Cup assault. Those plans were dashed, but the victory definitely left an impression that was reinforced by his most recent victory in Ireland. The striking gray was a nine-length winner in the Group I Irish Champions Stakes under the charismatic Frankie Dettori.

Montjeu, on the other hand, had just won a hard-fought photo-finish decision in the Group II Prix Niel -- the traditional 'Arc prep -- on Sept. 12.

But what the homelanders knew that many stateside players may not have is Daylami did not care for the giving nature of the Longchamp course for the 'Arc. It seems heavy rains passed through the region and drenched the course in the week leading to the big race. Although Sunday proved to be a sunny day at the track, the course was still considerably off for the race.

When the field was sent on its long journey down the back straight, El Condor Pasa showed the way. The pace setter, who had never been worse than second in a 10-race career with eight victories to his credit, still led the field into the uphill home straight after the sweeping one-turn encounter that made up the marathon run.

The field had spread across the course with each rider bearing down on his equine partner, but El Condor Pasa still posed an elusive target. Then from out of the pack came Montjeu with a rousing rally that caught the leader in the shadow of the finish line. Jockey Mick Kinane had again coaxed another nail-biting victory from the mount he had just retained two races back. Cash Asmussen had been the pilot for Montjeu's first six outings.

Of course the post-race comments suggested Mountjeu is the next Ribot or Dancing Brave, but one wonders if trainer John Hammmond -- who has horses training in the states -- or owner Michael Tabor would entertain showing the colonies his mettle in next month's Breeders' Cup Turf. Nevertheless, Mountjeu's victory coupled with his already-impressive record has gained the sophomore certain yearly honors from the European community. And deservedly so.

Tabor, who won the 1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes with Thunder Gulch, becomes only the second owner in history to win both the 'Arc and the Derby. The first to achieve that rare combination was Paul Mellon, of the Rokeby Stable, when he captured the 'Arc with Mill Reef and the Derby with Sea Hero.

While Mountjeu paid $5 and change to win in France, the North American pool returned a handsome $10.60 for the same victory. Croco Rouge was a non-threatening third.

* BREEDERS' CUP IMPLICATIONS: Two major preps for the newly created Breeders' Cup Turf for Fillies and Mares were run over the weekend on each coast.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, the Oak Tree race meet presented the 23rd running of the Yellow Ribbon Stakes. The 1 1/4-mile turf event marked the long-awaited return of last year's Eclipse Award winner Fiji. She was playing catch-up in an effort to gain a spot in this year's Breeders' Cup event while Tuzla and Tranquility Lake were trying to maintain their status at the top of the division.

But it was the Bobby Frankel-trained Spanish Fern who put in a powerful run to dispose of the competitive field. The Yellow Ribbon victory may punch a ticket to the Breeders' Cup for the winner while Fiji, who finished off the board, as well as Tuzla and Tranquility Lake, may find themselves watching the Cup on November 6 on television from their Santa Anita stalls.

On Sunday at Belmont Park, Soaring Softly won the Grade I Flower Bowl Handicap at the same distance and surface (turf) as the Yellow Ribbon on Saturday. So, the Jerry Bailey-ridden filly may have a Florida engagement on the first Saturday in November. The inaugural Breeders' Cup event for this division should showcase a strong field of competition.

* FREE CASH: The $1,000 Handicapping contests at the Coast Resorts properties race books continue throughout the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita. Each Wednesday the contest will be held at the Orleans race book. Then likewise on Thursdays at the Barbary Coast and Fridays at the popular Gold Coast. Each contest will carry a $1,000 prize for the winner -- and all the contests are free of charge.