Belmont Park will host two major Breeders’ Cup preps for the turf set on
Saturday’s blockbuster card. Divisional leader GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat) looks
to extend his winning streak to five in the $600,000
Joe
Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1), while defending champion DYNAFORCE
(Dynaformer) bids to retain her title in the $600,000
Flower Bowl Invitational S. (G1) for distaffers.
Gio Ponti will be stretching out to 1 1/2 miles for the first time in the Joe
Hirsch. The Christophe Clement charge has been invincible since March, when he
posted a last-stride score in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) at Santa Anita.
Since then, Gio Ponti has swept the Manhattan H. (G1) and Man o’ War S. (G1) at
Belmont, and he most recently invaded Chicago to capture the Arlington Million
(G1).
Gio Ponti could use the Joe Hirsch as a springboard to the November 7
Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Oak Tree, or alternatively, the Classic (G1) on
Pro-Ride. Ramon Dominguez will be back aboard the four-year-old colt, who has
drawn post 5.
“He is a horse that can switch on and off,” Clement said regarding the
step-up in trip. “As long as Ramon can keep him switched off the first part of
the race, he can finish well. A good horse is a good horse. (Gio Ponti) loves
Belmont Park and I’ve always thought that he is a better horse in cooler
weather. This is not a handicap, so the weights are the same, which is great.
Now, it’s up to him.”
Clement has also taken the precaution of entering WINCHESTER (Theatrical
[Ire]), a dynamic winner of last year’s Secretariat S. (G1), who forms part of a
coupled entry with 6-5 favorite Gio Ponti. Since Dominguez is listed to ride
both halves of the entry, Winchester is expected to scratch.
In the absence of his stablemate, Gio Ponti will face seven rivals on the
Widener turf course, led by defending champion GRAND COUTURIER (GB)
(Grand Lodge). The Bobby Ribaudo trainee relished yielding turf here last year
to dominate by 10 1/4 lengths, and he will be hoping that the forecasted rain
materializes. The multiple Grade 1 star had gone winless in four starts since
his Joe Hirsch romp, but got back on track with a two-length decision over
Winchester in the
Bowling Green H. (G2) last time out.
“He’s doing fine,” Ribaudo said. “He came out of his last race well, but Gio
Ponti will be tough. We may get (the softer ground) we like on Saturday and
we’ll take any edge we can get.”
Two-time United Nations S. (G1) hero PRESIOUS PASSION (Royal Anthem), the
expected pacesetter, will hope that the rain stays away. The Mary Hartmann pupil
was a subpar last of eight on rain-affected ground in the Arlington Million.
Rounding out the field are Sword Dancer Invitational S. (G1) upsetter TELLING
(A.P. Indy); Grade/Group 3 winner MUSKETIER (Ger) (Acatenango), runner-up to Gio
Ponti in the Man o’ War two back; Grade 3 veteran INTERPATATION (Langfuhr), who
has placed in the last two editions of the Joe Hirsch; the sophomore AL KHALI (Medaglia
d’Oro), who exits a victory in the Saranac S. (G3); and multiple Grade 1-placed
READY’S ECHO (More Than Ready), the Forego S. (G1) third who steps way up in
trip while switching to turf.
Telling’s trainer, Steve Hobby, is hoping that the distance will be the key.
“The one thing is, Gio Ponti hasn’t been a mile and half yet, and my horse
loves it,” Hobby said.
Like Grand Couturier, Dynaforce will appreciate rain in advance of the Flower
Bowl, a 1 1/4-mile event on the inner turf with implications for the November 6
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). A four-length winner over yielding ground
in the 2008 Flower Bowl, the Bill Mott mare took a couple of starts to round
into form this campaign. Dynaforce was back to her best, however, in the Beverly
D. S. (G1) on Arlington Million Day, driving to a 1 1/4-length triumph. Kent
Desormeaux gets the return call.
PURE CLAN (Pure Prize), queen of the 2008 American Oaks Invitational (G1),
has split decisions with Dynaforce in her last two. The Bob Holthus filly ran
out a convincing winner of the Modesty H. (G3), with Dynaforce only third, but
Pure Clan was unable to repeat the dose in the Beverly D. Lagging well off a
slow pace, Pure Clan finished a closing third without threatening Dynaforce.
Holthus noted that Pure Clan is unlikely to head to the Breeders’ Cup,
regardless of how she performs Saturday. Owner Lewis Lakin is keeping an eye
toward a 2010 campaign.
“This is our Breeders’ Cup right here,” Holthus said of the Flower Bowl.
Clement has entered the coupled duo of CARRIBEAN SUNSET (Ire) (Danehill
Dancer), runner-up in the Diana S. (G1) and third in the Palomar H. (G2) in her
last pair, and recent import BEAUTY O’ GWAUN (Ire) (Rainbow Quest), an Irish
Group 3 victress this spring. As with the Joe Hirsch, Dominguez is listed as the
rider of both halves of the entry, which has been pegged as the 5-2 morning-line
choice.
Other notables in the eight-distaffer field include multiple Grade 2 star
CRITICISM (GB) (Machiavellian), whose last triumph came in the Sheepshead Bay S.
(G2) over Belmont’s inner turf, and English shipper MONEYCANTBUYMELOVE
(Ire) (Pivotal), a stakes winner at Royal Ascot who comes off a third in a strong
renewal of the Nassau S. (Eng-G1). Jamie Spencer flies in to keep the mount
aboard the Michael Bell sophomore.
“(Criticism’s) doing great, and I can’t wait for the race,” trainer Tom
Albertrani said.
Last-out Voodoo Dancer S. winner LEAMINGTON (Pleasant Tap) and Glens Falls H.
(G3) third QUEEN OF HEARTS (Thunder Gulch) round out the Flower Bowl field.