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.

[hockey2315]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

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.

Really?

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by hockey2315

Really?

What the hell was so impressive about it? He beat freaking Society's Chairman by a length and ran slower than Proviso.

[hockey2315]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

What the hell was so impressive about it? He beat freaking Society's Chairman by a length and ran slower than Proviso.

Maybe your opinion of Gio stems in part from your feelings about Proviso. . . I don't share your view of her. Gio couldn't really have done it any easier and got another overconfident ride from Ramon. You know the margin doesn't matter there - he came home extremely quick and got up comfortably.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by hockey2315

Maybe your opinion of Gio stems in part from your feelings about Proviso. . . I don't share your view of her. Gio couldn't really have done it any easier and got another overconfident ride from Ramon. You know the margin doesn't matter there - he came home extremely quick and got up comfortably.

They're both the best of bad divisions and are outclassed by Goldikova and Paco Boy. You don't agree with this?

[hockey2315]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

They're both the best of bad divisions and are outclassed by Goldikova and Paco Boy. You don't agree with this?

I don't really see the point in using Paco Boy or boxing those two like you seem to want to - Goldikova has already asserted her superiority over him. I'll use Goldi and protect with Gio and Proviso in case she gets sucked up into the pace.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by hockey2315

I don't really see the point in using Paco Boy or boxing those two like you seem to want to - Goldikova has already asserted her superiority over him. I'll use Goldi and protect with Gio and Proviso in case she gets sucked up into the pace.

Please. He's hardly getting trounced by her. He's lost by two necks and a half-length and in my book that makes him a hell of a lot more likely to win this than Gio Ponti or Proviso.

[blackthroatedwind]

I thought Gio Ponti's win at Keeneland was decidedly mediocre.