Bois History: The very first Group race

Juine-July, ParisLongchamp

Prix du Bois

Group 3, 2-year-olds, 1,000m/5f, €56,000

Created in 1925

Last winner: Livachope (f2, FRA by Goken ex Laia Chope, by Soave), owned by Alain Chopard, bred by Alain Chopard, trained by Jane Soubagné, ridden by Anthony Crastus.

Record-time: 56’’3 by Percolator (2008) - 57''0 by Noblequest (2004) at Longchamp.

The race is run in 2020 for the 91st time

The 2020 edition

Thursday, July 2nd, 2020, ParisLongchamp. - Winner of la Flèche (L) on June 14 at Chantilly for her second outing, Livachope (Goken), racing for her owner Alain Chopard, is now undefeated in three races and has won the first 2-year-olds' Group race of the French program, the Prix du Bois (Gr3).

Fast ahead on this 5-furlong dash, she held off the favourite Axdavali (Goken), a little keen early on, and won by three parts of a length. 3rd-placed Princesse de Saba (Dariyan) is the only other runner to have managed to keep up with the two first home, as the remainder of the field passed the post 4 lengths behind them.

Livachope's dam is the fast Laia Chope (Soave), who won at the age of 2 and was placed in Listed over 8 races at that age. For her debut, Livachope beat a filly who won easily afterwards. Then she herself confirmed in La Flèche (L) by standing up to Pom Malpic (Pomellato), only 5th this time.

It's a great success for the young sire Goken (Kendargent), winner of this race in 2014 and sire of the two first home this time.

History

This race is named after the Bois de Boulogne and also the Avenue du Bois (now the Avenue Foch) linking the Place de l’Etoile to the Porte Dauphine, which carriages used to take to reach Longchamp Racecourse.

First run in 1925 during the last week in June at Longchamp, the Prix du Bois was the first important race organised for 2 year-olds in France. Not held from 1940 to 1945 due to war, the Prix du Bois remained faithful to Longchamp (with the exception of its 1995 flirtation with Chantilly) until 1996. Since then, it has been shared between Deauville (1997, 1998, 2003, 2016, 2017 & 2018), Chantilly (1999 to 2002, 2004, 2005, from 2009 to 2015, then in 2019) and Maisons-Laffitte (2006 to 2008). Its distance (5 furlongs) has remained unchanged, irrespective of the racecourse. Whereas the first winner in 1925, Tatters, completed the course in 1’ 3’’6 (the worst time ever recorded), the record for this race was set at Maisons-Laffitte by English raider Percolator in 2008 with a 56''3 time.

The Prix du Bois constitutes an ideal springboard for candidates for the Prix Robert Papin, the leading Groupe 2 event for 2 year-olds held towards the end of July. Fifteen winners of the Prix du Bois have gone on to lift the Prix Robert Papin: Erica (1927), Chesterfield (1946), Primeur (1947), L’Astrologue (1956), High Bulk (1960), Zeddaan (1967), My Swallow (1970), Lianga (1973), Maelstrom Lake (1981), Masarika (1983), Arazi (1991), Much Faster (2003), Divine Proportions (2004), Natagora (2007) and Family One (2011).

The Prix du Bois honours list features some glorious names, such as Advertencia (the dam of Le Pacha, 1929), Arbace (1948), Pharaos (1951), Reine Martiale (1955), Polamia ( dam of Dream Well, 1957), Dan Cupid (1958), Spy Well (1962), Timmy Lad (1963), Daring Display (1971), Irish River (1978), Noblequest (1984), Arazi (1991), Natagora (2007).

In the 90 editions of the race so far, colts have clocked up 51 wins and fillies 39.

Owners

• Mrs P.A.B. Widener (5 wins): Polamia (1957), Dan Cupid (1958), Mr Brookwood (1961), Spy Well (1962), Timmy Lad (1963).
• Aga Khan IV (4 wins): Zeddaan (1967), Adraan (1979), Masarika (1983), Keratiya (2010).
• Daniel Wildenstein (3 wins): Nursery Song (1965), Lianga (1973), Juge de Paix (1976).
• Arpad Plesch (3 wins): Calshot (1966), Rockress (1968), Myosotis (1974).
• Wertheimer & Frère (3 wins): Gwenseb (2005), Sandwaki (2006), Snowday (2012).
• Lord Derby (2 wins): Tatters (1925), Erica (1927).
• Marcel Boussac (2 wins): Arbace (1948), Pharaos (1951).
• Guy de Rothschild (2 wins): Reine Martiale (1955), L’Astrologue (1956).
• Allen Paulson (2 wins): Tersa (1988), Arazi (1991).
• R.-C. Strauss (2 wins): The Perfect Life (1990), Zelding (1997).
• Khalid Abdullah (2 wins): Expelled (1994), Media Nox (1995).
• Maktoum Al Maktoum (2 wins): Morning Pride (1999), Ozone Layer (2000).
• Guy Pariente (2 wins): Goken (2014), Cosachope (2016).

Trainers

• François Mathet (6 wins): Taoutcha (1952), Calshot (1966), Zeddaan (1967), Rockress (1968), Myosotis (1974), Adraan (1979).
• Etienne Pollet (6 wins): Polamia (1957), Dan Cupid (1958), High Bulk (1960), Mr Brookwood (1961), Spy Well (1962), Timmy Lad (1963)
• Pascal Bary (6 wins): Export Price (1986), Rich and Famous (1989), Imperfect World (1998), Much Faster (2003), Divine Proportions (2004), Natagora (2007).
• Robert Collet (5 wins): Noblequest (1984), The Perfect Life (1990), Glorieux Dancer (1992), Zelding (1997), Dolled Up (2009).
• François Boutin (4 wins): Tersa (1988), Arazi (1991), Porto Varas (1993), Expelled (1994).
• Carlos Laffon-Parias (4 wins): Ziria (2001), Gwenseb (2005), Sandwaki (2006), Snowday (2012).
• André Fabre (3 wins): Media Nox (1995), Morning Pride (1999), Ozone Layer (2000).

Riders

• Roger Poincelet (10 wins): Chesterfield (1946), Arbace (1948), Dahabi (1949), Lets Fly (1953), Polamia (1957), Dan Cupid (1958), High Bulk (1960), Mr Brookwood (1961), Spy Well (1962), Timmy Lad (1963).
• Yves Saint-Martin (9 wins): Nursery Song (1965), Calshot (1966), Zeddaan (1967), Rockress (1968), Baroque (1969), Lianga (1973), Juge de Paix (1976), Adraan (1979), Masarika (1983).
• Olivier Peslier (6 wins): Morning Pride (1999), Ozone Layer (2000), Gwenseb (2005), Sandwaki (2006), Dolled Up (2009), Snowday (2012).
• Charles Semblat (3 wins): La Rocque (1928), Sisterari (1931), Asterisk (1932).
• William Johnstone (3 wins): Corindon (1933), Courteille (1938), Pharaos (1951).
• Freddy Head (3 wins): Daring Display (1971), Tersa (1988), Porto Varas (1993).