Study of Man is a bay horse with a small white star bred in Ireland by his owners Flaxman Stables, a company set up to manage the racing interests of the Niarchos family.
He was from the eighth crop of foals sired by Deep Impact, who was the Japanese Horse of the Year in 2005 and 2006, winning races including the Tokyo Yushun, Tenno Sho, Arima Kinen and Japan Cup.
[4] For his three-year-old debut Study of Man was stepped up in class and started favourite for the Group 3 Prix La Force over 1800 metres at Longchamp Racecourse on 10 April.
[5] The Niarchos family's racing manager Alan Cooper commented "Pascal Bary told me over the phone recently that Study of Man possesses a similar turn of foot to his grand-dam, Miesque, which gives us great encouragement.
[6] On 3 June at Chantilly Study of Man started the 4/1 second favourite behind the Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Olmedo in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club.
After settling in mid-division the colt moved up to join the leaders in the straight, took a narrow lead 200 metres out and kept on well to win by half a length from the outsider Patascay, with Louis d'Or and Intellogent close behind in third and fourth.
[13] In the Prix Messidor over 1600 metres at Deauville on 21 July Study of Man started the 1.3/1 favourite but was outpaced in the closing stages and finished third behind Impulsif and Trais Fluors.