Gio Ponti - 2009 Man o'War (GI)
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2024
- Gio Ponti - 2009 Man o'War (GI)
After a wide trip all the way around, Gio Ponti edged away through the final sixteenth to win the 51st running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Man oWar by 1 ¾-lengths under red-hot jockey Ramon Dominguez Saturday afternoon at Belmont Park.
In hand leaving the first turn, the four-year-old son of Tale of the Cat sat well off the rail through slow early fractions of 25.23 and 49.99 set by longshot Musketier (GER). After circling five-wide entering the stretch, Gio Ponti quickly closed the gap and took over the lead from pacesetting Musketier, who held on to finish second. The final time for the mile and three-eighths was 2:12.56 over a firm inner turf course.
Its nice when theyre that good, said winning trainer Cristophe Clement. This is his third Grade 1 in a row, it just confirms that at the moment, Im afraid, hes got to be the leader of the turf division here. He did not have the best trip, being wide he was widest of all going in to the first turn but Ramon gave him a great ride, he did not panic and he still had enough to finish and finished very well. Thats the great thing about good horses they overcome a few things.
Sent off as the 2-1 favorite in the field of nine, Gio Ponti returned $6.30 for a $2 win bet to his backers in the crowd of 6,735 and earned $300,000 for owner Castleton Lyons Farm. The colt is now 8-2-0 from 13 lifetime starts.
Gio Ponti was ultra game right up through the final race of his career. But I always thought it was during this period in 2009 that he was arguably as good as he ever was during his career. That stretch that began in March, 2009 when he beat Ventura in the G1 Frank E Kilroe Mile. Then rolled up successive G1 wins at 10f in the Manhattan Handicap, Man O' War Stakes, and Arlington Million. He ended the season with strong 2nd's at 12f in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf, and to Zenyatta in the 09' BC Classic
i totally agree, I dont think Einstein finished ahead of gio except maybe in gio's first race this year but i doubt it, he ran amazing in the breeders and just got beat by a legend.
Right now probably the best turf male in the U.S. but to me he was more impressive when he won the Manhattan Handicap. Clement stable always has amazing turf horses , hope he goes in the Breeders
Musketier, I love you boy