Gio Ponti back to winning ways after a double in the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland
It took the $6million horse a little over a year to flash his championship form again, and the win in the Grade 1, $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile in the second consecutive year on 8 October at Keeneland, could help Gio Ponti hit his best stride of the season.
The son of Tale of the Cat, out of Chipeta Springs by Alydar, Gio Ponti broke his five race losing streak, as he rallied past his rivals Get Stormy and Sidney’s Candy in the desperate final yards of the race.
Christophe Clement trained 6-year-old horse Gio Ponti did not run a bad race all year long, he just had the misfortune of running into a very good horse from Ireland called Cape Blanco in the Man O’ War and the Arlington Million, where in both he finished second.
In the Shadwell Turf Mile, Gio Ponti was under regular rider Ramon Dominguez, and the pair found themselves in the middle of the pack after the break in the field of eight.
In the beginning it was the manifestation of follow the leader, as Gio Ponti followed the pace setting runner Sidney’s Candy through the opening quarter mile, 23.63 seconds, half a mile, 47.08 seconds and six furlongs in 1 minute and 10.91 seconds.
Garrett Gomez aboard the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic winner, Get Stormy tracked in second, and eventually took over the lead.
However, the three time Eclipse Award winner, Gio Ponti, was on the verge of giving Ramon Dominguez the perfect ride and from fourth he reached the top of the stretch and moved past Wise Dan.
Get Stormy was also in the mood and started to pull away and the alarming bells rang for Gio Ponti, but Dominguez’s left handed whip saved the day as Gio Ponti cut between Wise Dan and Get Stormy surged clear to edge away to cover the mile in 1 minute and 34.17 seconds.
It was a trip back the winner’s circle for Gio Ponti since 2010, and also earned a berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, and he would be looking to improve at Churchill Downs next month as he finished second in the same race last year.
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