Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Open to three-year olds and up, The Arc was first run in celebration of the Allies victory in World War I. The race is run at Longchamp – a track even more famous than the race. Longchamp is built on the banks of the Siene river in the Bois de Bologne in Paris.

A flat track racecourse, the “Hippodrome de Longchamp” is famous for its intersecting tracks and a famous hill that challenges racers. The course can be configured to be 1,000 to 4,000 meters long, and can utilize up to 46 different starting points, giving it a wide versatility among race tracks.

The Arc is easily the most famous race run at the track. In addition to its historical significance, it is also the second-richest flat-track purse in horseracing. At 4 million Euro in 2009, and with the weekend’s total purse at about $10 million USD’s, it was bested only by the Japan Cup.