Gio Ponti and Cape Blanco entered the Arlington Million in the field of 10
The never say die attitude of Christophe Clement’s two time reigning champion, six-year-old Gio Ponti, will take a shot at the 13 August, 2011, Grade 1 Arlington Million and try to win the Arlington Park fixture for the second time for owner, Castleton Lyons.
The multiple grade 1 winner, Gio Ponti, won the Arlington Million two years back, and in last year's event he was the runner up, but this time around Gio Ponti will be up against nine other rivals with three of them European born equine invaders.
Among the three European invaders will be Aidan O’Brien trained 4-year-old colt Cape Blanco, who defeated Gio Ponti in their last meeting in the Grade 1 Man O’ War Stakes at Belmont Park on 9 July, 2011.
Gio Ponti will break from post number five and was sent as a 2 to 1 favourite to win the race, meanwhile Cape Blanco who won the last race he ran on the American soil was pegged at 9 to 5.
The Irish invader Cape Blanco and his connections would be looking to wrap this edition of the Grade 1 Arlington Million up, and book a place in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf held at Churchill Downs on 5 November, 2011, because the 1 ¼ mile race is part
of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” series.
The Irish bred Cape Blanco is coming off a win in the Man O’ War Stakes and prior to the, the 4-year-old colt has had 3 starts in 2011, including a trip to the U.A.E in the Grade 1 Dubai World Cup on 26 March, 2011, where he finished fourth under Jamie Spencer.
Jamie Spencer will ride the colt in the Arlington Million, and the team will arrive in Chicago on 10 August, 2011, from their Irish headquarters.
The other two European runners to participate in the 29th running of the race will be the 4-year-old colt Zack Hall, trained by Mikel Delzangles and bred in France and the Irish bred 4-year-old gelding Wigmore Hall, trained by Michael Bell will
seek to claim the Arlington Million.
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