Joe Hirsch Turf Classic J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat) has streaked to four consecutive Grade 1 wins and

is the marquee attraction in the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) at Belmont

Park on Saturday. Trained by Christophe Clement, the sublime

four-year-old has proven his class at distance ranging from one mile to 1 3/8

miles during this run and has eclipsed his last three in fairly easy fashion

under Ramon Dominguez, who will ride today. The colt should be placed in midpack

early, and his best will be good enough in here.

We don't think that the upset by Darley castoff TELLING (A.P. Indy) in the

Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) was a fluke and we will give the Steve Hobby

trainee a big chance in this solid field. The five-year-old chased a fast early

pace in the Sword Dancer and still had plenty left late under Javier Castellano,

driving home to topple a deep field while coming home in :24. The bay ran a

couple bang-up races at this trip in 2008 and may have finally peaked. If

Telling is more than a Saratoga lover, which we believe that he is, he'll be

there late.

The enigmatic PRESIOUS PASSION (Royal Anthem) will surely play

catch-me-if-you-can for trainer Mary Hartman, and there is no reason to believe

that the courageous gelding can't win this race from the post 8. The

distance and soft surface didn't help the six-year-old in the Arlington Million

(G1) last out, but the return to 12 panels and a firm oval could

be enough to vault the multiple Grade 1 victor into another memorable tally.

Elvis Trujillo has the assignment.

WINCHESTER (Theatrical [Ire]) romped in the 2008 Secretariat S. (G1) but has

yet to build upon that fine score. The bay colt showed signs that he was

returning to form when a solid second in the Bowling Green H. (G2) most recently

over yielding ground, but his U.S. form prior to that leaves something to be

desired. If anyone can turn this four-year-old round, Clement is a good choice.

Multiple Grade 1 star GRAND COUTURIER (GB) (Grand Lodge) notched his first

win of the year last out in the Bowling Green when inhaling his foes

late for Robert Ribaudo, but this field is much stronger and he will need his

absolute best to challenge for the top prize. An obvious lover of yielding or

soft turf, the six-year-old won this race last year against lesser by 10 1/4

lengths, but that outcome seems unlikely this go around. The exotics contender

moves up considerably if it rains.

MUSKETIER (Ger) (Acatenango) was a strong second to Gio Ponti in the Man o'

War S. (G1) over this strip two prior and has endured a nice year for Roger

Attfield. The gray seven-year-old will likely be second early, possibly a

distant second, and could get first run on the deep closers under Edgar Prado.

While we'd be surprised to see him win, we'll include the German-bred in some

vertical gimmicks.

AL KHALI (Medaglia d'Oro) has progressed nicely throughout the season for

Todd Pletcher and looked especially good in taking the Saranac S. (G3) versus

lesser foes at Saratoga last out. The bay ridgling, in our opinion, should

eventually excel at distances similar to this one but we're not sure if he is

ready for this type of competition.

READY'S ECHO (More Than Ready) closed well to finish a close third in the

Forego S. (G1) at Saratoga most recently for Todd Pletcher, but the talented

colt looks like a fish out of water in this test. We don't like the

four-year-old in here, and we also don't understand why he was placed against

these stayers. INTERPATATION (Langfuhr) was a distant second in this event in

2008 but seems in deep from the rail.