Gio Ponti Wins Shadwell; What's Next?
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Photo:
Eclipse Sportswire
Gio Ponti has been caught nearing the wire three times during a tough-luck campaign in 2010. The dual champion finally had enough of that, this time doing a little catching of his own.
Cutting back to one mile for the
first time all year, Gio Ponti niftily split horses in deep stretch
under Ramon Dominguez en route to a one-length victory in the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. I) Oct. 9 at Keeneland.
It was the sixth grade I victory for
Gio Ponti, the defending champion grass and older horse, and his ninth
graded win overall. The 5-year-old son of Tale of the Cat could
be headed to the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT) Nov. 6 at Churchill
Downs, though trainer Christophe Clement would not say for sure. The
Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) on dirt is still under consideration for
the bay horse, who finished second in that race a year ago at Santa
Anita.
But after Saturday’s performance, it
would be hard to imagine Gio Ponti not going in the BC Mile. He posted
his second grade I win at one mile, having won the Frank E. Kilroe Mile
Handicap (gr. IT) in March 2009 in his last start at the distance. Now
with 11 wins from 22 starts, Gio Ponti has earned more than $4.6
million in his extraordinary career.
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