NEWS
Gio Ponti rolls to Arlington Million victory
Posted: Saturday, August 08, 2009 9:28 PM
GIO PONTI
FourFootedFotos.com
To view the Arlington Million Stakes, click here.
by Myra Lewyn
Castleton Lyons’ Gio Ponti seized the lead on the turn and extended his streak of Grade 1 victories to four on Saturday with a clear victory in the $1-million Arlington Million Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park.
Gio Ponti comfortably held off the two longest shots in the field—runner-up Just as Well at 19.10-to-1 and Stotsfold (GB) at 28.70-to-1—for a 1¼-length triumph, cementing his status as the nation’s top turf male.
With his victory, Gio Ponti earned a starting spot in the $3-million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on November 7 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series. He also earned an invitation to the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) in November.
The 3-to-2 favorite in the eight-horse field, Gio Ponti stumbled at the start but quickly recovered under Ramon Dominguez and settled into a solid rhythm in fifth then sixth as Presious Passion sprinted clear and led by ten lengths through a half-mile in :48.44.
Presious Passion was tracked Gloria de Campeao (Brz), Einstein (Brz), and Mr. Sidney through the opening half-mile. He held command entering the far turn before being overtaken by Mr. Sidney and jockey Kent Desormeaux on the far turn.
Desormeaux won the Secretariat Stakes (G1) with Take the Points and Beverly D. Stakes (G1) with Dynaforce earlier on the card, and Mr. Sidney momentarily appear poised to deliver a Grade 1 triple for the rider. But Gio Ponti was full of run and would not be denied as he split horses, collared that opponent on the turn, and then shook clear.
Gio Ponti covered 1 1/4 miles in 2:04.19 on a turf course upgraded to good after rating as yielding earlier on the card.
“He's a great horse,” Dominguez said of Gio Ponti after the race. “He just does everything so easy. I was a little concerned with the way the turf was playing all day.
“He stumbled a little bit out of the gate and I thought it would compromise my chances, but right away he came back up and was on the bridle, taking me every step of the way.
“[Trainer] Christophe [Clement] was confident and told me to just do whatever I wanted. If we could lay a little closer, that would be great because I didn’t want to have to make up any more ground. He’s a pleasure to ride. Once we got to the top of the lane and he had a target in front of him, I encouraged him and he responded.”
Presious Passion, who romped to a front-running victory in the United Nations Stakes (G1) on July 4 in his previous start, faded to last.
A four-year-old Tale of the Cat colt, Gio Ponti’s four-start unbeaten string includes wins in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (G1) on March 7, the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (G1) on June 6, and the Man o’ War Stakes (G1) on July 11.
Gio Ponti improved to nine wins in 14 career starts and increased his lifetime bankroll to $2,133,800 with the $588,000 winner’s share of the Arlington Million purse.
Bred in Kentucky by Kilboy Estate Inc., Gio Ponti is out of stakes-placed winner Chipeta Springs, by Alydar. He is a half brother to Grade 3-placed stakes winners Bon Jovi Girl and Fisher Pond.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
