Three Breeders’ Cup berths up for grabs on Arc undercard

In her seven-race career, the 3-year-old filly Wild Illusion has raced primarily in England, where she won the Group 1 Nassau Stakes on Aug. 2 at Goodwood in her debut against older fillies and mares.

Last fall, Wild Illusion had a successful trip to France, winning the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac on the undercard of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The Prix Marcel Boussac is France’s leading race for 2-year-old fillies.

Wild Illusion is back in France for Sunday’s Group 1 Prix de l’Opera on the Arc undercard at renovated Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. While she was a 25-1 outsider in the 2017 Prix Marcel Boussac, Wild Illusion will be favored to win the $575,450 Prix de l’Opera at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

The Prix de l’Opera is one of six Group 1 races for Thoroughbreds on the Arc program. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.

Wild Illusion, who races for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing and trainer Charlie Appleby, won for the first time in four starts this year in the Nassau Stakes at 1 1/4 miles. Earlier in the season, she was second in the Group 1 English Oaks at Epsom Downs and the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

In the Prix de l’Opera, which drew a field of 16, Wild Illusion will be ridden by William Buick. Her main rivals are Magic Wand and With You.

Magic Wand, trained by Aidan O’Brien, won the Ribblesdale and was second in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille on Sept. 16 at Longchamp. With You, trained by Freddie Head, won the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at a mile at Deauville in July and was third behind the now-retired Alpha Centauri in the Group 1 Jacques Le Marois there in August.

The first race on the eightrace program is the $460,360 Prix Marcel Boussac at a mile, which has a post time of 8:20 a.m., Eastern. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.

The undefeated Rocques, trained by Fabrice Chappet, is a standout in a field of eight. Rocques has won three races, all since early July. She won her stakes debut in the Group 3 Prix d’Aumale at a mile Sept. 9 at Longchamp.

Star Terms, trained in

England by Richard Hannon, has attractive form. She was second in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes for fillies on Sept. 13 at Doncaster in her group stakes debut.

The shortest price of the day is expected to be Anodar in the Group 1 Jean-Luc Lagardere for 2-year-old colts and fillies. Geldings are excluded from the $460,360 race, which has drawn six colts and offers a fees-paid berth to the BC Juvenile Turf.

Anodor, trained by Head, is unbeaten in two starts. He could be about 4-5 on Sunday.

Anodor won his stakes debut in the Group 3 Prix des Chenes at a mile on Sept. 9 at Longchamp by two lengths as the even-money favorite. Hannon starts Boitron, who is unbeaten in three starts and will have his group stakes debut Sunday.

There are two Group 1 sprints later in the program worth $402,815 – the Prix de la Foret at seven furlongs and the Prix de l’Abbaye at five furlongs.

Polydream, a 3-year-old filly, will be favored to beat males in the Prix de la Foret. After finishing last of 14 in the French 1000 Guineas in May, Polydream won consecutive Group 1 stakes against males through the summer, including the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at 6 1/2 furlongs against 19 rivals on Aug. 5 at Deauville.

Sir Dancealot is the likely second choice, but has yet to win a Group 1. He won consecutive Group 2 races in England in the summer for trainer David Elsworth, but was ninth in the Group 1 Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock Park on Sept. 9.

Battaash, who won the 2017 Prix de l’Abbaye at Chantilly, is back in the same race Sunday. Battaash has won two Group 2 races in England this year for trainer Charles Hills, but was fourth as the 4-5 favorite in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York Racecourse on Aug. 24, leading in the final quarter-mile before fading to finish 2 1/2 lengths behind 40-1 surprise winner Alpha Delphini.

Tantheem, trained by Head, is well regarded following wins in two Group 3 in France in recent weeks.