ATR Hall of Fame Debate: Gio Ponti?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by KirisClown

Gio Ponti is a nice/consistent horse and it's great he's stayed in training, but the best since Manila?? It's hard to believe that someone in their right mind would actually believe that..

I love Gio Ponti. He couldn't have warmed up the likes of Lure or Paradise Creek. Bad opinions foster bad opinions.

[KirisClown]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I love Gio Ponti. He couldn't have warmed up the likes of Lure or Paradise Creek. Bad opinions foster bad opinions.

Agreed, those are the two I immediately had in mind.. The author of that piece has been around long enough to know better, it feels like it's an opinion based on sentiment rather than fact..

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I love Gio Ponti. He couldn't have warmed up the likes of Lure or Paradise Creek. Bad opinions foster bad opinions.

Certainly you could think of another 20-30 since Manila that were better than GP.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Certainly you could think of another 20-30 since Manila that were better than GP.

I don't know about quite that many, as he is good, and has been for a while, and the US turf horses are a pretty weak group, and have been for years. But, I'm sure there are more than a handful.

I think the Hall of Fame has been too liberal over the years with some of their inductees. However, hopefully the internet vote hasn't go so far as to now naming Hall of Fame members. Wasn't electing an undeserving Horse of the Year bad enough?

[Calzone Lord]

You can get 10-to-1 on Gio Ponti right now off-shore.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

You can get 10-to-1 on Gio Ponti right now off-shore.

To make the Hall of Fame?

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

To make the Hall of Fame?

I'd take that on the basis of the poll results in this thread.

But no, to win the Mile.

[OldDog]

I only attached this to the HOF thread in order to not start a new Gio thread. Other than what I quoted above, what I was taking more to the point of the article was

In a setting on the eastern shore of the Atlantic, the Mile would be seen as the best race on the Breeders' Cup menu, a rematch of champions with the potential for high drama. In Louisville, beyond the question to be answered (or not) by Goldikova, the focus will be on the Classic and horses far less accomplished.

A lot of time is spent talking about the durability of the thoroughbred. Here is a horse (not a gelding) competing consistently for years in Grade 1 company, and doing damn well at it, while we spend hours discussing horses who head for the shed with a dozen or fewer starts. It's easy for owners to say, "We love racing." But show me more than a few today who run a horse this long in G1 races. I take my hat off to Shane Ryan, and Christophe Clement, and win or lose Saturday, to Gio Ponti.