Gio Ponti

horseracingnation · I know some Rachel fans are not happy about being ranked 4th behind Blame. If you don't like it, be sure to log in and vote. · 15 days ago

arazi · That was an amazing stretch run from behind a wall of horses! · 18 days ago

medlocke · If you'll check the comments that I've made all week long. I stated that both Debussy and Tazeez were very legitimate threat's to Gio Ponti in the Arlington Million if Gio Ponti didn't bring his "A" game into the race. Debussy is a multiple G2 and G3 winner in Europe. Debussy beat the likes of World Heritage, Ideology, and Allybar in the G2 2009 Prix Eugene Adam at Maisons-Lafiitte in France. He'd beaten Midday in the 2009 Blue Ribbon Trial Stakes at Ascot. Midday, besides winning the 09' B.C F&M Turf. Has just rolled off back to back G1 win's in the Blue Square Nassau Stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks. Debussy also won the G3 Huxley Stakes quite impressively at Chester back in May. He had just ran 4th at York in the Blue Square York Stakes. Beaten by Summit Surge, Bushman, and Allybar. Tazeez had ran 3rd behind Byword and Twice Over in the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Ascot in June. Then ran 3rd again at Newmarket in the G2 Princess of Wales Stakes in July. Where he outran heavy race favorite, Spanish Moon, to grab 3rd in that race. So both of these colts are very legit turf horses. Gio Ponti didn't do himself any favors swinging 7 or 8 wide against this field off of the final turn, headed for home. Debussy's jockey, William Buick. rode a very clever, and very savvy race. Holding the rail, and saving ground with Debussy for as long as possible. The bottom line here is that Debussy just had plenty left in the tank when Buick called on him for his run. Enough left in the tank to run down Gio Ponti and Tazeez. · 18 days ago

medlocke · You can't keep a great horse down forever. Precisely why Gio Ponti found his way back into the winners circle today at Belmont Park. It was, however, amazing that Gio Ponti was able to find his way into the winners circle in today's Man O' War Stakes. Given that Gio Ponti likes to sit off of the pace, then slingshot by horses to propel himself to the wire. Amazing in the sense that the Man O' War had literally no pace at all throughout. With the field bunched up under "turtle like" fractions through the a first 1/4 mile of 26 and change, and a first 1/2 mile of 52 and change. Extremely slow fractions for a horse that races the way Gio Ponti does. But in the end, as they say, class will win the day. And it did today in the Man O' War. · 60 days ago

medlocke · I'm curious how Gio Ponti's connections will approach the 2010 Breeders Cup races coming up at Churchill Downs in November? There's little doubt that Gio Ponti is certainly the best America has to offer on the turf. But Gio Ponti has had difficulty winning races over 12 furlongs. Yet, this years Classic will be raced over conventional dirt. A surface that Gio Ponti has yet to try in his career. So do you race Gio Ponit unproven on conventional dirt over the 10 furlongs? Or do you throw him into the Breeders Cup Turf? Which is his best surface. But would likely prove difficult for Gio Ponti over 12 furlongs. With what's certain to be a strong Euro contingent that races regularly over 12 furlongs. Just in Sir Michael Stoute's horses alone. With Conduit now retired standing stud in Japan. It's likely Stoute will bring Spanish Moon back for another go. Also, Stoute has Harbinger. A fabulous 4yr.old colt. Who's undefeated in 2010 and most recently won the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot over 12 furlongs. Stoute could also bring his explosive 3yr.old Epsom Derby champion, Workforce. Who smashed the Epsom Derby record in this year's running of the race. Plus, the John Gosden trained mare who ran 3rd in the 09' B.C. Turf, Dar Re Mi. Who won the 2010 Dubai Sheema Classic. Then there's Ballydoyle's and trainer Aidan O'Brien's brilliant 4yr.old colt, Fame and Glory. Who didn't come to last year's Breeders Cup. But has already been mentioned by O'Brien as being likely for this year's Breeders Cup Turf. Fame and Glory has already bagged the Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Investec Coronation Cup so far in 2010. Any or all of these European turf horses listed would make for extremely tough competition for Gio Ponti should his connections chose to race him in the Breeders Cup Turf? JMO. · 60 days ago