NEWS
Gio Ponti set for season debut at Tampa Bay
Posted: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 6:52 PM
GIO PONTI
Benoit & Associates photo
by Frank Angst
Reigining champion turf male and champion older male Gio Ponti has been entered in Saturday’s $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for four-year-olds and older.
An early favorite for the $10-million Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) next month at the new Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, Gio Ponti will be making his first start since closing out last season with a runner-up finish to Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park. After starting on the main track in that effort, Gio Ponti will return to the turf where he won four Grade 1 races last year.
Regular rider Ramon Dominguez will travel to Tampa for the mount. Gio Ponti’s four Grade 1 victories last year were the Arlington Million (G1) and Man o’ War Stakes (G1), and Woodford Reserve Manhattan (G1) and Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) Handicaps.
Gio Ponti is expected to face eight other opponents, including Quantum Racing Team’s Mambo Meister and Green Lantern Stables’ Karelian.
Frank Angst is senior writer for Thoroughbred Times
February 20, $150,000, 4yo & up, 1 1/16M, Tampa Bay Downs, 3:03 PM ET
| Post |
Horse |
Sire |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 1 |
Almoradi (IRE) 4, c. |
Barathea (IRE) |
116 |
Florent Geroux |
Patrick Biancone |
| 2 |
Gio Ponti 5, h. |
Tale of the Cat |
116 |
Ramon Dominguez |
Christophe Clement |
| 3 |
Public Speaker 5, h. |
Distorted Humor |
118 |
Daniel Centeno |
Dale Bennett |
| 4 |
Pickapocket 6, g. |
Mecke |
116 |
Juan Leyva |
Martin Wolfson |
| 5 |
Mambo Meister 5, g. |
King Cugat |
116 |
Eibar Coa |
Philip Gleaves |
| 6 |
Dinner in Odem 6, g. |
Quaker Ridge |
116 |
Felix Ortiz |
Peter Wasiluk, Jr. |
| 7 |
Karelian 8, g. |
Bertrando |
116 |
Rosemary Homeister, Jr. |
George Arnold, II |
| 8 |
Rahystrada 6, g. |
Rahy |
122 |
Inez Karlsson |
Ron Potts |
| 9 |
Quiet Emarati 4, g. |
Quiet American |
116 |
Edgar Perez |
Michael Yates |
