Gio Ponti breezes 5 furlongs at Saratoga and looks to get her season back on track by winning the Arlington Million
With over $5.4 million in lifetime earnings, Castleton Lyons owned 6-year-old horse Gio Ponti continues to prepare for the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Arlington Million at Arlington Park on 13 August. It’s run over a distance of 1 ¼ miles approx 2,000 meters for
horses aged three years and beyond.
The reigning male turf champion, Gio Ponti produced a five furlongs breeze on 25 July at Saratoga. Gio Ponti came out for his first workout since he finished second to Cape Blanco in the in the Man o’ War Stakes on 9 July.
Asides from this year’s Man o’ War edition, the son of Tale of the Cat won the Grade 1 Man o’ War Stakes twice before, and it could’ve been his third time in a row if he had not finished second to this year’s champion Cape Blanco.
Out of 32 horses, who worked at the Oklahoma grass course, Gio Ponti was the fourth fastest with time 59.22 seconds.
Gio Ponti won the 2009 running of the Grade 1 Arlington Million under usual jockey R Dominguez, defeating his rivals Just As Well and Stotsfold.
Before the 2009 Arlington Million win. Gio Ponti was coming off a 3 race winning hot streak, an unbelievable three grade 1 races on the trot, including the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita, Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park and Grade 1 Man o’
War Stakes also at Belmont Park.
2009 was a great season for the 6-year-old Gio Ponti, as he also earned the spot for Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Up against the miler, the sprinter, the great Zenyatta, Gio Ponti under R Dominguez had his work cut out.
The multiple stakes winner, Gio Ponti ran his heart out and barely got beaten by the champion mare Zenyatta in the 2009 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Gio Ponti had a fantastic championship career; he went on to win stakes like Bourbon Stakes, Hill Prince Stakes, Virginia Derby Stakes, Sir Beaufort Stakes and after the four stakes win in a row including the Arlington Million.
The 2010 season wasn’t as successful as the previous one, but nothing could take away the edge of the seat stuff Gio Ponti pulled out in all of his races. One at the top of the pile will be his second place finish in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic against
another big name Goldikova.
The great Goldikova kept Gio Ponti at bay, but Gio Ponti showed what a good horse he is. Late run from the back challenging the might of Goldikova and barely got beat.
The 2011 season is yet to yield a win for Gio Ponti, but Arlington Million looks to be within his grasp as he gets challenged by his Man o’ War Stakes Cape Blanco, who is also a probable for the Arlington Million.
Gio Ponti’s goal would be to win the Arlington Million, which is also a part of the Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup series race, and show his mettle once again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
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