France: Sparkling Plenty rallies from far back to win Prix de Diane

Sparkling Plenty rallied from last, or close to it, and won the Group 1 Prix de Diane by a head on Sunday at Chantilly Racecourse.

The 14-1 shot was racing just two weeks after a three-length victory in the Group 2 Prix Sandringham compelled connections to try France’s Oaks. Sparkling Plenty made her sixth start of the year Sunday, a campaign that began in February and has seen the filly improved markedly since a sixth-place showing May 12 in the French 1000 Guineas.

Narrowly beaten was an even longer price, 26-1 Survie, who came under a hard ride with nearly three furlongs of this 1 5/16-mile contest remaining, and despite having to be heartily encouraged while weaving through homestretch traffic posted the race’s fastest final 200 meters, 11.77 seconds.

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Tamfana, who raced close to the lead and briefly led in midstretch, finished third as 3-1 joint favorite with fourth-place Aventure.

Tony Piccone aboard Sparkling Plenty, with one horse behind him and 11 in front with about 600 meters to travel, steered left to find room for his mount to make her run, Sparkling Plenty giving Piccone an immediate response. Following Aventure while coming just inside Paraiba, Sparkling Plenty reached the front with a little more than a half-furlong to race and looked like she’d pull clear, but Survie made it close in the end.

Dance Sequence, second in the Oaks at Epsom for Godolphin, finished last.

The Diane was run in the rain over a good-to-soft course, Sparkling Plenty clocking 2:07.64, a standard time for the race. Patrice Cottier trains Sparkling Plenty, a daughter of Kingman and the Frankel mare Speralita.

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