Expecting to send GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat) out in Saturday’s $600,000 Joe
Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1), trainer Christophe Clement reflected
Wednesday on the year to date and what it’s meant to have a horse like Gio Ponti
— who is attempting to win his fifth consecutive Grade 1 grass race in the 1
1/2 -mile Joe Hirsch — in the barn.
“He might be, or is, the best horse I have ever trained,” Clement said. “And
I probably enjoy him more now than I would have 15 years ago because I know how
difficult it is just to win a (single) Grade 1. He brings a lot of enjoyment to
all of us, to everyone in the barn — grooms, exercise riders, myself and his
owner.”
Clement said that Shane Ryan, president of owner Castleton Lyons, has flown
over from his home in Europe to watch Gio Ponti’s past few races, usually with a
group of friends to cheer the colt on.
“Beyond just winning races and money, there is a certain social enjoyment to
racing, which is very important as well,” Clement said.
Gio Ponti has seen expanded recognition lately, now claiming a Facebook page
with 342 “fans” as of Wednesday morning, where photos and video of the colt are
regularly posted to overwhelmingly positive commentary.
“Anything that gives more exposure to good horses is a wonderful thing,”
Clement said of Gio Ponti’s increasing online presence. “We’ve seen that already
this year with Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) and she is obviously in a different category,
but you see that many people follow racing because they love horses and (to see
the horses recognized) is very nice.”
Among Gio Ponti’s opponents on Saturday will be TELLING (A.P. Indy). The
five-year-old had dropped 10 straight starts
dating back to May 2008 before jumping up as the unlikely 33-1 winner of the
Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) on August 15 at Saratoga. Now,
trainer Steve Hobby is making another foray from his base at Arlington Park,
bringing the bay back to New York for the Joe Hirsch
Turf Classic on Saturday.
“Everything’s good. He doesn’t have to win again to prove anything to us,”
Hobby said.
Telling earned the right to try the Sword Dancer with a furious late run in the
July 11 Arlington H. (G3), a race in which he finished fifth by just 1 1/2
lengths.
“He was flying over them,” Hobby said. “Had he won it, no one would have
questioned us going to the Sword Dancer.”
While concerned about facing Gio Ponti in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic,
Hobby believes he has one advantage over the top American turf runner this year.
“The one thing is, Gio Ponti hasn’t been a mile and a half, and my horse
loves it,” Hobby said.
Jockey Javier Castellano, who rode Telling in the Sword Dancer, retains the
mount.