Editing Exceller (section)

==European racing career==
Trained at first by [[François Mathet]], who had been the trainer for [[François Dupré]], and later by [[Maurice Zilber]], Exceller didn't accomplish much racing as a two-year-old but blossomed as the distances got longer during his three-year-old season. While stablemates Empery and Youth were taking down the French and [[Epsom Derby|English Derbys]], Exceller won in the grueling [[Prix Royal-Oak]] (run at 1 7/8 mile) and the [[Conditions races|Group 1]] [[Grand Prix de Paris]].<ref name="Timeform1976">{{cite book |author=Timeform staff| title=Racehorses of 1976| publisher=Timeform|year=1977|isbn=0-900599-22-7}}</ref> Shipped to England at age four, he wound up a half-length behind [[The Minstrel]] and [[Orange Bay (horse)|Orange Bay]] in the [[King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes]] and won the Coronation Cup. Sent to [[Woodbine Racetrack]] in [[Toronto]], Canada, Exceller won the Canadian International.<ref name="Timeform1977">{{cite book |author=Timeform staff| title=Racehorses of 1977| publisher=Timeform|year=1978|isbn=0-900599-25-1}}</ref>