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Cape Blanco scores dominant win in Arlington Million

Posted: Saturday, August 13, 2011 6:42 PM

CAPE BLANCO (Ire)

Four Footed Fotos

To view the Arlington Million Stakes, click here.

by Patrick Reed

Irish classic winner Cape Blanco (Ire) scored his second consecutive Grade 1 win since shipping to the U.S. in dominant fashion on Saturday, surging to the lead in early stretch and pulling away from an accomplished field to win the Arlington Million Stakes (G1) by 2 ½ lengths over two-time U.S. champion turf male Gio Ponti.

Cape Blanco’s win validated his impressive U.S. debut in the Man o’ War Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, where he defeated Gio Ponti by 2 1/4 lengths on July 9. The victory also capped an outstanding day at Arlington for trainer Aidan O’Brien, who two races earlier captured the Secretariat Stakes (G1) with 2011 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Ire-G1) winner Treasure Beach (Ire).

In the Arlington Million, Cape Blanco settled in fourth along the backstretch as 2011 Manhattan Handicap (G1) winner Mission Approved led the ten-horse field through an opening half-mile in :50.26. Jockey Jamie Spencer kept Cape Blanco well off the rail and out of traffic trouble throughout in a well-handled ride, and he patiently waited until midway through the far turn before giving Cape Blanco his cue.

Entering the stretch, Cape Blanco shot past Mission Approved and opened up a sizeable lead on the field through the final furlong. Gio Ponti rallied stoutly on the outside under Ramon Dominguez, but had far too much to do in the late going and was all out to nip Grade 2 winner Dean’s Kitten by a neck for second.

Cape Blanco rolled home under Spencer in a visually impressive performance, covering 1 ¼ miles in 2:05.39 on yielding turf for owners Mrs. Fitriani Hay, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Michael B. Tabor.

“He’s a good, tough horse and he’s brilliantly trained,” Spencer enthused. “All I did was do the steering; Aidan gave me my instructions and I rode accordingly.

“I’m very pleased just to be able to ride the horse. There are very few horses that have the will to win like he has. The more you ask from him, the more you get from him. He had loads left at the end.”

“The winner had first run on us and you have to give him credit—we were second best today,” Dominguez said of Gio Ponti. “Gio Ponti isn’t three anymore, but he runs so good every time he’s out there. We are all so used to his consistency.”

Cape Blanco, a four-year-old colt by leading European sire and champion Galileo (Ire), flashed promise as a juvenile when taking the Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes (Ire-G2) and then matured into an elite runner at three with wins in the Irish Derby and the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-G1). He began 2011 with respectable fourth-place showings in the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) and in the Prix Ganay – Prix Air Mautitas (Fr-G1) but gave way readily and finished sixth of seven in the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot against Canford Cliffs and Goldikova (Ire) before shipping to the U.S.

Following Saturday’s romp in the Arlington Million, Cape Blanco must be considered a leading candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs in November, if his connections choose that path. He earned an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series, but he also is among the nominees to the Tatts W. S. Cox Plate (Aus-G1), Australia’s weight-for-age championship, this fall.

Cape Blanco is out of 2010 Irish Broodmare of the Year Laurel Delight, by Presidium (GB). He is a half brother to dual Grade 2 winner Mr O’Brien (Ire).

For an Equibase chart, click here.

READER COMMENTS

Posted by: Al, San Jose, CA on August 15, 2011 at 08:56 AM Something that I found very interesting about the races at Arlington Park on Saturday. Treasure Beach in the Secretariat, Stacelita in the Beverly D., and Cape Blanco in the Arlington Million were all 3 running on first time Lasix. Was that a coincidence????? Report Abuse Posted by: Tony, Philadelphia, PA on August 15, 2011 at 07:59 AM Jack, I understand Gio Ponti is not the same horse, but there's no denying the troubled trip Dominguez had in the Arlington Million. Dominguez got caught on the fence with nowhere to run, and had to check hard at the top of the stretch, then wait for room, and once he did, he was gaining on Cape Blanco. Cape Blanco had the perfect trip, and got the jump on Gio Ponti, that's all....to say Cape Blanco dominated the race is wrong. I know Cape Blanco is a tad better than Gio Ponti, but in Arlington, I believe if Dominguez had the trip that Spencer had with his mount, I believe Gio Ponti would've won! Report Abuse Posted by: Awesome maria lover!, Horseland, IL on August 14, 2011 at 10:20 PM PLEASE!!! RETIRE GIO!!! Report Abuse Posted by: Jack, Balitmore, MD on August 14, 2011 at 07:57 PM @Tony from Philadelphia, Gio Ponti just isn't the same horse he once was back in 2008 and 2009. He's still very competitive, but he's just no longer the class of a Cape Blanco. Galileo just keeps pumping out multiple graded and group stakes winners in Europe year after year. He's probably the most dominant and influential turf sire in the breeding shed right now. I.E., Cape Blanco, Rip Van Winkle, Frankel, Treasure Beach, Seville, and Misty For Me. Just to name a few. Report Abuse Posted by: Tony, Philadelphia, PA on August 14, 2011 at 01:49 PM Gio Ponti got bottled up with nowhere to run at the top of the stretch. I would've loved to see what could've happened if Gio Ponti had clear sailing like Cape Blanco had. Report Abuse