Cartier Awards: Ace Impact, Justify shine on Europe’s big stage

Arc de Triomphe winner Ace Impact took top honors Thursday at the Cartier Awards. the 3-year-old son of Cracksman, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, was named Europe horse of the year as well as Europe champion 3-year-old colt.

Unraced at the beginning of 2023, he debuted with a 3 1/2-length victory in a 1 1/4-mile conditions race at Cagnes-sur-Mer on Jan. 26. After a victory in a conditions race on turf at Bordeaux le Bouscat the next month, he graduated to stakes company. He then won the listed Prix de Suresnes, the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) and the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano against his own age group. Facing older for the first and only time in the Arc, he won by a confident 1 3/4 lengths over Westover. He has since been retired, and will serve his first season at stud at Haras de Beaumont in 2024.

Breeders’ Cup Friday revealed Justify as a leading sire of 2-year-olds, as his progeny won both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. His 2-year-olds took the spotlight at the Cartier Awards, as well. Both champion 2-year-old male City of Troy and champion 2-year-old female Opera Singer are by Justify. Both are trained by Aidan O’Brien.

The complete list of Cartier Award winners is below.

In addition to the equine awards, the Cartier Awards also feature the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit. That award went to owner and breeders Jeff Smith. A racehorse owner since 1976, Smith’s leading horses include Lochsong, Persian Punch and Alcohol Free.