Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone’s WINCHESTER (Theatrical [Ire]), winner of the
Sword Dancer Invitational (G1), and Castleton Lyons’ three-time champion GIO
PONTI (Tale of the Cat), runner-up in the Arlington Million (G1), are expected
to return to the worktab this weekend, according to Christophe Lorieul,
assistant to trainer Christophe Clement.
“We want to call to see if we can work them on the turf this weekend,”
Lorieul said.
Lorieul revealed that Winchester is likely to bypass the September 10 Bowling
Green H. (G2) at Belmont Park, in which he was second last year before going on
to win the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1).
“You never feel blasé winning a graded stakes, but he just won a Grade 1 and
he hasn’t run very much all year,” Lorieul said. “There are a few options: the
Turf Classic (at Belmont Park on October 1) and a race in Canada called the
Northern Dancer ([Can-G1] at Woodbine on September 18).”
Lorieul said that Claiborne Farm’s and Adele Dilschneider’s GRASSY (El Prado
[Ire]), winner of last year’s Red Smith H. (G2), likely will run in Winchester’s
place in the Bowling Green.
Meanwhile, the Clement barn is trying to devise autumn plans for Gio Ponti,
the two-time reigning champion turf horse. Last year, Gio Ponti won the Shadwell
Turf Mile (G1) and was second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). The 2011 Shadwell
Turf Mile will be contested October 8 at Keeneland, with the Breeders’ Cup Mile
to be held November 5 at Churchill Downs.
“We nominated him to the Woodbine Mile ([Can-G1] on September 18),” Lorieul
said. “They were talking about doing the (Woodbine Mile, Shadwell Turf Mile, and
Breeders’ Cup Mile), but I think it’s going to be too close together. You’d have
to go to Woodbine, come back, and go to Keeneland. What do you do after? Leave
him at Keeneland and train? The boss is not there, and he doesn’t want to leave
him there by himself the entire time leading up to the Breeders’ Cup.”