Gio Ponti to the Classic
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from Brisnet:
"Because of what he's done so far on turf -- winning four Grade 1 races in a row -- we don't think he's got much more to prove on the grass in America," Clement said. "I believe that the mile and a quarter of the Classic is the perfect distance for him and I'm very excited about the prospect of running him there because I think the artificial surface is very fair for both turf and dirt horses.
"Because of what he's done so far on turf -- winning four Grade 1 races in a row -- we don't think he's got much more to prove on the grass in America," Clement said. "I believe that the mile and a quarter of the Classic is the perfect distance for him and I'm very excited about the prospect of running him there because I think the artificial surface is very fair for both turf and dirt horses.
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ELMONT, N.Y. - Though Gio Ponti fell short of winning his fifth consecutive Grade 1 turf race on Saturday, trainer Christophe Clement said he feels his horse has nothing left to prove on the grass. Thus, Clement and owner Shane Thomas Ryan will give Gio Ponti a new challenge by taking on some of the best horses in the world in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 7 over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface.
Clement hopes that Gio Ponti's wins in the Frank Kilroe at Santa Anita, Manhattan, and Man o' War at Belmont, and Arlington Million in Chicago are enough to offset his loss to 43-1 shot Interpatation in last Saturday's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic to earn the 4-year-old an Eclipse Award as North America's top male turf horse. The Joe Hirsch was run over an extremely soft turf course after the skies opened up Saturday afternoon.
Since turf horses seem to transition well to synthetic surfaces - Gio Ponti already won the Grade 3 Sir Beaufort over the Pro-Ride last December - Clement feels this is the perfect year to try the Classic.
"One, he came out of his race in good order,'' Clement said Monday. "Two, we believe he does not have that much to prove anymore as the leading turf horse in America. Three, the Classic is an exciting challenge; it should be a very good race. It's a mile and a quarter, but I believe he's got as good a shot as anybody else in the race. Let's go for it.''
The first two finishers from last year's Classic were Raven's Pass and Henrythenavigator, two turf horses from Europe. North America's top dirt horse, Curlin, could do no better than fourth. This year, North America's top dirt horse entering the Classic might very well be Summer Bird, the 3-year-old who added Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup to victories in the Travers and Belmont Stakes earlier in the year. Summer Bird has never raced over the Pro-Ride, though he did breeze over it for two months late last year.
"It might be a tougher challenge for him than it is for Gio Ponti,'' Clement said. "Gio Ponti has won a graded stakes on Santa Anta's artificial surface, and I really think a mile and a quarter is an ideal distance for him. He's doing great, he had a break, he's a fresh horse.''
Clement said that, weather permitting, Gio Ponti would do the majority of his training at Belmont before shipping to Santa Anita the week of the Breeders' Cup.