Territories goes last to first in Prix Jean Prat
Territories came from last in a field of eight and won the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat by a half-length over Dutch Connection as Full Mast disappointed in the one-mile race for 3-year-olds at Chantilly.
Held up last well behind what appeared to be a demanding pace – the early leaders staggered home – Territories initially moved between horses, starting to make his run under Mikael Barzalona turning into the roughly three-furlong homestretch. Showing patience, Barzalona eventually slipped outside Dutch Connection for Territories’s final, decisive move, and Territories was edging clear late while turning in a rally more sustained than flashy. But push-button acceleration was not required Sunday, the top two finishing six lengths clear of Sir Andrew, a 33-1 shot and another closing type.
Territories was favored in the Prix Jean Prat, but Full Mast, who had beaten him twice last fall, had strong support as the clear second choice. Full Mast, making just his second start this season, pressed the pace and came up totally empty, fading to seventh and beating only Aktabantay (a one-time California Chrome workmate), who led and tired badly, and it seems clear, for now at least, Territories’s transition from 2 to 3 has gone far more smoothly than Full Mast’s.
Trained by Andre Fabre for Godolphin, who bred the Invincible Spirit-Taranto colt under the Darley banner, Territories won for the third time in seven starts and never has finished worse than third. In his first two races this season, he won the Group 3 Prix Fontainebleau and finished second of 18 to Gleneagles in the English 2000 Guineas, employing the same late-running tactics both times he used Sunday.
A foot bruise reportedly kept Territories from a second matchup with Gleneagles in the St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, and the two sophomore milers are headed different directions, with Gleneagles likely for the Sussex at Goodwood and Territories possibly trying older rivals for the first time in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.