10/30 Notes: Rumors have Gio Ponti leaning to lawn

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

Be careful what you wish for.

As a son of Tale of the Cat, I've always thought that a mile is Gio Ponti's best distance. After he won the Kilroe Mile last year (defeating eventual Woodbine Mile heroine Ventura), and in the absence of top mile races here, Clement took a chance that he could get 10F in the Manhattan against a relatively weak group, and he succeeded. They then became committed to a "distance" (by US standards) campaign with the horse.

His recent win in the Shadwell Mile was very impressive; he'll get plenty of pace with Sidney's Candy and Get Stormy in the field; and he has perhaps the best turf rider in Dominguez aboard. Compared to the likes of a past-his-prime Kip Deville and Whatsthescript (2008) and Cowboy Cal and Courageous Cat (2009), Gio Pinti will certainly present the most formidable American opponent that Goldikova has faced in her three Breeders' Cup tries.

Come on. He's the best of a dreadful group of U.S. turf horses. His Shadwell wasn't very impressive, it was fine. He'd have to put in an easy lifetime best to beat Goldikova and Paco Boy and if he's under 10-1, that's a bad bet.