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Gio Ponti conquers stellar cast in Man o' War

Gio Ponti answered the stamina question in style (Ross Woodson/Horsephotos.com) Castleton Lyons Farm's GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat) strengthened his grip on the turf division with a convincing victory in Saturday's $500,000 Man o' War S. (G1) at Belmont Park, his first attempt beyond 1 1/4 miles. Reserved off the early pace while traveling wide, the Christophe Clement pupil uncorked his trademark late charge to overwhelm early leader Musketier (Ger) (Acatenango) in deep stretch. The 2-1 favorite drew 1 3/4 lengths clear beneath Ramon Dominguez, firmly answering the question of whether he would be as effective at this 1 3/8-mile trip. Gio Ponti stopped the clock in 2:12 2/5 on the firm inner turf to extend his winning streak to three, following scores in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) and Manhattan H. (G1). "I was very concerned about the position I had," Dominguez admitted. "I was very happy with the fact that I was close, knowing that they were going very so slow and having my horse so relaxed. I was not happy about the fact that for one thing, I was very wide and also I was in the clear, which is not really ideal for these turf horses, but he was always relaxed and he proved that he's a runner. I was very impressed and very pleased with the way he finished."  "You know what, it's nice when they're that good," Clement said. "This is his third Grade 1 in a row. It just confirms that at the moment, I'm afraid, he's got to be the leader of the turf division here. He's just a very nice (horse). 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. That's the great thing about good horses -- they overcome a few things."

Musketier set slow fractions of :49 4/5, 1:13 2/5 and 1:37 while pressed by Midships (Mizzen Mast). After disposing of his pace rival, Musketier tried to kick away from the field turning for home, but could not withstand the winner's rally. The 26-1 longshot outran his odds to finish second, a half-length ahead of German shipper Quijano (Ger) (Acatenango). French invader Chinchon (Ire) (Marju) came another three-quarters of a length away in fourth, trailed by Grand Couturier (GB) (Grand Lodge), Marsh Side (Gone West), Interpatation (Langfuhr), Dancing Forever (Rahy) and Midships.

Gio Ponti returned $6.30, $3.50 and $2.70 and keyed the $138 exacta, $1,050 trifecta and $7,101 superfecta (9-1-3-6). Musketier rewarded his loyalists with $18.60 and $8.10, while the 10-1 Quijano paid $5.40 to show.

Gio Ponti has compiled a record of 13-8-2-0 with $1,545,800 in earnings. At two, he captured the Bourbon S. at Keeneland and suffered his first career loss when eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, where he was forced to take up abruptly in traffic. Gio Ponti added to his haul as a sophomore, scoring victories in the Virginia Derby (G2), Hill Prince S. (G3) and Sir Beaufort S. (G3), the latter in his synthetic debut. He also finished second in the Del Mar Derby (G2) and Jamaica H. (G2). The bay kicked off his four-year-old campaign with a close fifth in the Strub S. (G2), then followed up by nipping Ventura (Chester House) at the wire in the Kilroe and rolling past Marsh Side in the Manhattan.

Bred by Kilboy Estate in Kentucky, Gio Ponti is out of the stakes-placed Chipeta Springs (Alydar), making him a half-brother to multiple stakes-winning three-year-old filly Bon Jovi Girl (Malibu Moon), who romped by eight lengths in the June 20 Susan's Girl S. at Delaware Park. Chipeta Springs has also produced Fisher Pond (A.P. Indy), winner of the 2002 Lawrence Realization H.; an unnamed juvenile colt by Malibu Moon; and a 2009 filly by Bernstein. Gio Ponti's second dam is Argentinean Group 1 queen Salt Spring (Arg) (Salt Marsh). This is the family of Grade 1 victor Mongoose (Broad Brush), Grade 3 scorers Hesanoldsalt (Broad Brush) and Puxa Saco (Dehere), and further back, two-time Horse of the Year Cigar (Palace Music).

Clement indicated that the 1 1/4-mile Arlington Million (G1), held on August 8 at Arlington Park, was probably next on the agenda.

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