By the 1970s, Boussac's textile business, which had made him one of the richest men in France, was in severe difficulties and his studs were producing few top-class performers.
Ridden by Gérard Rivases he was restrained in the early stages before producing a strong late run to win by three quarters of a length from Battle Song with Steinway in third.
His rivals included Mississipian [sic], the top-rated French two-year-old of 1973, Moulines, the winner of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and D'Arras (Prix Noailles).
Dankaro was held up at the back of the field by Rivases but when he began to move forward in the straight he struggled to obtain a clear run and had to be switched to the outside.
In July, Dankaro was matched against older horses for the first time when he contested Britain's most prestigious weight-for-age race, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes over one and a half miles at Ascot Racecourse.
There was no International Classification of European two-year-olds in 1973: the official handicappers of Britain, Ireland and France compiled separate rankings for horses which competed in those countries.
The independent Timeform organisation gave him a rating of 131, making him their top-rated three-year-old alongside Caracolero, Comtesse de Loir, Nonoalco and Sagaro.