ATR Hall of Fame Debate: Gio Ponti?

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by Seattleallstar

I put Gio Ponti in the Medaglia D'oro category. Was a good race horse and won its share of big races, but never really won when it counted and when faced with the absolute best.

Never won when it counted? Two Shadwells, the Manhattan, two Man O' Wars, the Kilroe, the Arlington Million, those don't 'count'?

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Never won when it counted? Two Shadwells, the Manhattan, two Man O' Wars, the Kilroe, the Arlington Million, those don't 'count'?

What about Lava Man?

3 Hollywood Gold Cup, 2 Santa Anita Handicaps, 1 Pacific Classic ... a Grade 1 winner on dirt, turf, and synthetic.

His collection of wins absolutely dwars Gio Ponti and his resume was mostly all dirt.

He should have been a 1st ballot Hall of Famer if Gio Ponti is a lock to get in.

[postpicker]

Lava Man will get in, but it will be curious to see how he is treated, because of the never winning outside of California angle. Look how long it took Sky Beauty to get in and she basically had the same rap against her. No one is saying Gio and BTN are first ballot, but I think they will eventually get in. First ballot will be reserved for the extraordinary horses like the tag team in five years when they become eligible, Rachel and Zenyatta.

[Rudeboyelvis]

32 posts into a HoF debate before a Zenyatta reference - it's getting better.




Maybe the barometer should be ANY horse that ever finished within a length of Zenyatta gets in - no problem,,, Gio Pointi would make it (barely) on that criteria alone.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

32 posts into a HoF debate before a Zenyatta reference - it's getting better.




Maybe the barometer should be ANY horse that ever finished within a length of Zenyatta gets in - no problem,,, Gio Pointi would make it (barely) on that criteria alone.

Anabaa's Creation is HOF bound in that case. I dunno, I'm torn. When I try to explain why he shouldn't be, I end up talking myself into it, but when I try to say he should get in, I see flaws in the argument. Not that he has to be breaking course/stakes records right and left to get in the HOF, but out of curiosity, does he have any?

At first I wondered why anybody was assuming he'd get in the HOF, but when you look at his accomplishments and the time he's been putting them together, it's hard not to have a lot of respect for him and think 'well if not Gio Ponti, then who?' I know this is the US HOF, but American turf runners still have the shadow of the Europeans looming in terms of their quality. Is that having an impact here? This isn't a competition for tallest midget by any means, but does it seem like standing out here is treated with less respect? Is it a sense of big fish/small pond that's unfair to Gio Ponti? Should how American horses compare to the Euros even matter here?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Never won when it counted? Two Shadwells, the Manhattan, two Man O' Wars, the Kilroe, the Arlington Million, those don't 'count'?

Campaigning till you are 6 and not winning a BC race is an issue.