Trainer Christophe Clement admitted to having some trepidation regarding Gio Ponti entering the Manhattan Handicap on June 5. The horse hadn't run in 10 weeks, or since finishing fourth in the Dubai World Cup, and missed some training time leading up to the Manhattan, a 1 1/4-mile race at Belmont that had seven Grade 1 winners in its field. Gio Ponti did everything but win the Manhattan, overcoming some traffic approaching the top of the stretch to make the lead briefly in deep stretch only to get outfinished by stablemate Winchester, losing by a half-length. With that performance under his belt and a solid three weeks of training since, Gio Ponti, Clement believes, should be ready to return to the winner's circle when he heads an eight-horse field entered in Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park. Gio Ponti, last year's Eclipse Award-winning turf and older male, won the Man o' War last year - the third of four consecutive Grade 1 victories for this son of Tale of the Cat - and seeks to join With Anticipation (2001-02), Solar Splendor (1991-92) and Majesty's Prince (1983-84) as repeat winners of this 1 3/8-mile race. http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=5365536
No excuses this time. I remember when he ran down at Tampa back in february and lost a photo finish. the race wasnt filled with that much talent at all and he was supposed to win pretty easily. we'll see how he does tomorrow.
