Team Valor's Sweet Stream pulled major upset in the Prix Vermeille, Sunday at Longchamp.
Team Valor's outsider Sweet Stream pulled a major upset in the Prix Vermeille (Fr.-I) at Longchamp Sunday, defeating a field of fillies that included recent French Oaks (Fr-I) winner Latice.The 31-1 Italian-bred won a duel with Royal Fantasy in the final furlong of the 1 1/2-mile test for 3 and 4-year-old filles after sweeping past favored Latice, who took the lead in the straight before fading to eighth. In difficult position a half-mile out, Thierry Gillet brought the John Hammond-trained daughter of Shantou along the inside for a powerful late run entering the straight. She went to the front 100 yards out and held off Royal Fantasy gamely for a half-length triumph. The 4-year-old bay completed the race, contested on soft going, in a time of 2:29.50. The French-bred Pride was along late to get third, a short neck behind Royal Fantasy, with Vallera a head farther back in fourth among the 13 runners.Sweet Stream is not nominated to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) next month, but figures to be headed to the United States for a fall campaign, Hammond said.He said, "She came here in transit (on her way to America), but like me fortunately she stayed," according to Racing Post. "The owner, Barry Irwin, has been very patient as I told him she would be very much an autumn horse. She's not entered in the Arc and I may find a race for her abroad."Diamond Tango finished fifth, followed by Silverskaya, Visorama, Latice, Whortleberry, Lune d'Or, Anabaa Republic, Gloriez and Pilgrim of Grace.
