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Gio Ponti seeks third straight in Del Mar Derby GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat), two-for-two so far this season with victories in the Hill Prince S. (G3) and Virginia Derby (G2), will try to keep his perfect campaign going in Sunday's $350,000 Del Mar Derby (G2). The Christophe Clement charge will tackle nine rivals in the grassy 1 1/8-mile event, led by La Jolla H. (G2) hero SKY CAPE (Najran) and NOWNOWNOW (Whywhywhy), who handed Gio Ponti his lone career defeat in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Four-for-five overall, Gio Ponti defeated Nownownow in the Bourbon S. at Keeneland last October. When the pair lined up again in the Breeders' Cup, however, the form was turned upside down. While Gio Ponti suffered a traffic nightmare and wound up eighth, Nownownow found clear sailing on the outside to win by a half-length. The two have had contrasting fortunes ever since. After a winter vacation, Gio Ponti returned in June to take the Hill Prince by two lengths in dashing style, and next time out, he prevailed over Court Vision (Gulch) by a hard-fought nose in the Virginia Derby. Nownownow, in contrast, was shipped to Ireland, where he failed to land a blow in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) and checked in last of five. Repatriated to the United States and transferred to Jason Orman, he ran a creditable fifth to Sky Cape in the La Jolla. Regular rider Garrett Gomez will guide Gio Ponti from the outside post 10 on Sunday, and Julien Leparoux will team up with Nownownow for the first time since their Breeders' Cup upset. The admirable Sky Cape used to settle for minor awards in stakes events, but the Kristin Mulhall trainee has hit a winning stride in his past three outings. He engineered a last-to-first rally in the six-furlong Harry Henson S., and when stretching out to 1 1/16 miles, used stalking tactics to garner both the Alcatraz S. and La Jolla. Joel Rosario has the return call. Other contenders include the uncoupled Julio Canani pair of La Jolla runner-up TANGLED TANGO (Petionville) and French Group 3 scorer BLUE CHAGALL (Fr) (Testa Rossa), who will make his U.S. debut; Cinema H. (G3) winner TIZ WEST (Gone West), coming off an uncharacteristic 10th in the La Jolla; and KILDERRY (E Dubai), last seen landing the first division of the Oceanside S. on Del Mar's opening day. Also on Sunday, the $100,000 Torrey Pines S. marks the reappearance of GOLDEN DOC A (Unusual Heat). Successful in the Las Virgenes S. (G1) and runner-up in the Santa Ynez S. (G2), Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and Beaumont S. (G2) earlier in the year, the Barry Abrams filly has been freshened since her disappointing performance in the Acorn S. (G1) on Belmont Day. Among her eight foes in the one-mile Torrey Pines are Oak Leaf S. (G1) heroine CRY AND CATCH ME (Street Cry [Ire]), fifth in an allowance/optional claimer in her belated sophomore bow; FOXY DANSEUR (Mr. Greeley), who just missed in the Fairfield S. in her 2008 debut; and DISTANT VICTORY (Distant View), who brings a three-race winning streak into her stakes premiere for Carla Gaines.
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