Stormy River wins Prat

Stormy River garnered his initial Group 1 laurels at Chantilly on Sunday as he came with a strong late run to win the one-mile $511,000 Prix Jean Prat.

A Verglas 3-year-old and winner of the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau in April, Stormy River was bouncing back from a pair of frustrating efforts: an unlucky third-place finish in the French 2000 Guineas and a second to Araafa in the St. James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Ridden by Thierry Thulliez, Stormy River was still last of 10 entering the three-furlong stretch. Angled out for a clear run, he caught Kentucky Dynamite near the line for a half-length victory, covering the mile in 1:37.80 on good to soft ground.

Dilek had his four-race winning streak stopped in finishing third, two lengths behind the winner, while the filly Impressionnante was sixth. Kieren Fallon, riding for the first time since being banned from practicing his trade in Britain, was eighth aboard a one-paced Ivan Denisovich.

Trainer Nicolas Clement said that he will keep Stormy River to a mile this year and is tempted to send him back to Ascot for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Sept. 23, before which he will consider both the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 13 and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp on Sept. 3. Clement, however, has already ruled Stormy River out of a trip to Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup Mile.