Folsom Blues favored in Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere

Oct 02, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Folsom Blues took a leap forward in the Vincent O'Brien National (G1) at the Curragh (Photo by Coady Media)

After romping in the Vincent O’Brien National (G1) during the Irish Champions Festival, Folsom Blues bids for another major title in Sunday’s Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1) on Arc Day at ParisLongchamp.

The about seven-furlong turf contest serves as a scoring race on the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby, worth points on the 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers. The Lagardere is also a “Win and You’re In” for the Oct. 30 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Keeneland.

The Lagardere goes off as the second race at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, with a post time of 8:09 a.m. ET. You can watch and wager on the blockbuster card, featuring six Breeders’ Cup Challenge races on TwinSpires.com.

Folsom Blues has already booked his Breeders’ Cup ticket in the National at the Curragh, where he broke through with his first stakes victory. Trained by Joseph O’Brien, the Al Shira’aa Racing homebred previously placed to star filly Sun Goddess in the Phoenix (G1) and to Florida Bay in the Tyros (G3). But Florida Bay could not handle Folsom Blues in their rematch in the National, finishing a distant third, and he’ll need to improve to challenge him in Paris on Sunday.

𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 crushes a strong field in the National Stakes for Joseph O'Brien and Joey Sheridan! pic.twitter.com/GL6o3atjwI

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 13, 2026

Florida Bay is one of a trio representing Joseph’s father, Aidan O’Brien, along with Man’s Best Friend and Aix La Chapelle. While they’re owned by Coolmore partnerships, the top contender for the “lads” is based in France with Christopher Head – unbeaten Avec Toi.

A perfect 4-for-4 so far, Avec Toi rolled to authoritative scores in the Prix Roland de Chambure and Prix Francois Boutin (G3) at Deauville. But he just barely scraped home from Imperial Strike in the Sept. 6 Prix la Rochette (G3), the course-and-distance prep for the Lagardere. Head also sends out Bond Thoroughbred’s Big Money Man, who was fourth in the Summer (G1) at Woodbine.

What a way to start the day! 🤯

Avec Toi just gets the better of Imperial Strike in a thrilling edition of the Group 3 Qatar Prix la Rochette! 🤩🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/zvAbpsTa5C

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 6, 2026

The other member of the home team is the filly Amusingly. Out of a half-sister to unbeaten phenom Frankel, the Juddmonte homebred is a stablemate of defending Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) champion Daryz from the yard of Francis-Henri Graffard. Amusingly was an impressive debut winner at Compiegne before just missing in the Prix d’Aumale (G2) over a metric mile, and she’s likely more effective reverting to this trip.

The leading hope from Ballydoyle, Man’s Best Friend, overcame traffic trouble to win the Richmond (G2) at Glorious Goodwood. Although he was a subpar fourth last time out in the Prix Morny (G1) on soft going at Deauville, the step up in trip on a quicker surface can help.

Aix La Chapelle, a well-bred son of Triple Crown champion Justify, stamped himself as a prime player for Royal Ascot when winning smartly on debut. Things haven’t gone right for him since. Scratched at the gate as the favorite for the Chesham S., he resurfaced in the Tyros and got demoted from third to fourth behind Florida Bay and Folsom Blues. Yet Aix La Chapelle has upside as a half-brother to Group 1 stars Henri Matisse and Tenebrism.

British invader Alfred Wallace comes off his biggest victory in the Solario (G3) at Sandown. Two starts back, the Ed Walker pupil was fourth in the Acomb (G3) to Haffner, who recently took the Royal Lodge (G2) on the Euro/Mideast Road. Rounding out the field is Crusherman, who just broke his maiden at Newbury for Brian Meehan.