Gio Ponti either for Classic or Mile, connections to decide for the upcoming Breeders’ Cup
It is clear to see that Gio Ponti’s favoured distance is the mile, and ample success has come when he has run over that distance, and as far as Breeders’ Cup is concerned Gio Ponti has mostly been cross entered in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Breeders’
Cup Mile, and just like last year ran in the Mile.
This time as well the 6-year-old horse Gio Ponti has been cross entered in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Breeders’ Cup Mile, both races will be run on 5 November, 2011, at Churchill Downs.
Recently the son of Tale of the Cat, out of Chipeta Springs by Alydar, Gio Ponti has been doing well. In the 2011 season he has gone on to win once but finished on the money thrice out of 5 starts with a lone 5th place finish in the Grade 1 Dubai
World Cup at Meydan on 26 March, 2011.
Castleton Lyons owned Gio Ponti was looking to do a repeat in the Grade 1 Man O’ War Stakes and the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile.
He won both races last year, and finished second in the Arlington Million last year, a race which divides the two races.
This time around it wasn’t going to be that easy, because the Aidan O’Brien trained Irish invader Cape Blanco was in the Man O’ War Stakes caste, and was being favoured by the bettors over Gio Ponti, the last year winner of the race.
Cape Blanco lived up to his reputation as he bagged the Man O’ War Stakes and then went on to win the Arlington Million as well.
Gio Ponti finished second on both occasions, as the Irish invader stole the show from the local hero, leaving him to do a double in the 2011 edition of the Shadwell Turf Mile.
With Cape Blanco retired by that time while sustaining an injury running in a race at Belmont Park, Gio Ponti got the opportunity to atone for his defeats against another heavily packed international caste in the Shadwell Mile.
Gio Ponti obliged as he surged past his opponents to win the Shadwell Mile second time running. On the basis of his performances over various distances, Gio Pont’s connections will decide in which race to run the 6-year-old horse.
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