Why isn't Gio Ponti a realistic HOY candidate

[letswastemoney]

I am being serious. He has more open company G1s than any other horse does he not?

[Gorgeous George]

Sea The Stars has more

[SoCalCircuit]

Sea The Stars has more


I'm sure the OP meant eclipse award eligible (american) horses. I love Gio Ponti, but it mostly has to do with being a turf horse (disadvantage), not being undefeated when the two other candidates are, losing to another candidate, the fact that an older male essentially will always be in open company races by default. However you could definitely make the arguements that the turf competition was better than the fields that Z and RA beat up on this year, and the argument that it is more difficult to put together such an impressive win streak on the turf, where races are generally a lot closer.

[gm10]

Gio Ponti came close - if he had won that 12F race on the wet turf, and the Classic, he would have edged RA and of course Zenyatta too.

[FenceBored]

Gio Ponti came close - if he had won that 12F race on the wet turf, and the Classic, he would have edged RA and of course Zenyatta too.

Agreed, that would have given him the edge.

[Badactor]

On Saturday @ Santa Anita,
I had the pleasure of visiting the Christophe Clement barn
and the great honor of meeting... CHAMPION, GIO PONTI: :)
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n291/UpInClass/SANTA%20ANITA/100_0389.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n291/UpInClass/SANTA%20ANITA/100_0390.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n291/UpInClass/SANTA%20ANITA/100_0391.jpg
The plan is to run Gio Ponti at Santa Anita in early February,
then travel to Dubai in March... however, if the rains come this week,
they are prepared to ship to Florida to for one race before heading to the desert.

[classhandicapper]

Gio Ponti was excellent this year, but he can't be horse of the year because the best turf/synthetic horse in the country blew by him like he was a mule in the Classic.

[46zilzal]

I am being serious. He has more open company G1s than any other horse does he not?
TURF performer who did well on plastic

You have to be traditional

[ExoticDancer]

Because a Rachel had the best year for a 3 year old filly in history that's why.

[FenceBored]

Gio Ponti was excellent this year, but he can't be horse of the year because the best turf/synthetic horse in the country blew by him like he was a mule in the Classic.

The loss to Interpretation in the Joe Hirsch hurt his chances more than the Classic. Letting a huge longshot you've passed rerally and beat you by almost 2 lengths just doesn't scream HOY.

[Grits]

Outstanding photos of a true two times Eclipse winner last night.

Thank you for posting!!!

[letswastemoney]

TURF performer who did well on plastic

You have to be traditionalWell Zenyatta was a major candidate and synthetics isn't exactly traditional.

But I get what people are saying about that turf race where the 40-1 or something shot blew by him.

If it was just Zenyatta beating him by a length though....the argument could be that one race shouldn't detract from a whole year's worth of work. If only today's modern horses faced each other more than once, the answers could be clearer.

[OTM Al]

Had Mike Smith gone wide again rather than going inside for once, he may well have been one. He's not a great by any means, but he had a very nice campaign and I hope his 2010 is just as good.

[Valuist]

If Manila and Theatrical couldn't win Horse of the Year, there's no way Gio Ponti should be considered over either the filly or mare.

[ranchwest]

Gio Ponti came close - if he had won that 12F race on the wet turf, and the Classic, he would have edged RA and of course Zenyatta too.

After he dogged his butt behind that 56 and 1 half, I wouldn't vote for him for dog of the year. Not to mention he cost me a big chunk o change. :bang:

[letswastemoney]

After he dogged his butt behind that 56 and 1 half, I wouldn't vote for him for dog of the year. Not to mention he cost me a big chunk o change. :bang:Oh you could forgive him, the surface was a mess. We know he's better than a 56 half.

[ranchwest]

Oh you could forgive him, the surface was a mess. We know he's better than a 56 half.

Glad you do. I don't.

[1st time lasix]

Gio Ponti------I had him in the Classic at a nice price....a win would have given me several exotics {pick four/tri/double} ....but alass as a exotic player I have found there are a thousand ways to lose and only one way to win! :( Seems like I have been feeling a lot of pain recently {Tampa/Gulfstream/Oaklawn} just missing some nice multi-horse tickets. Can be frustrating...... and you can doubt your process when you go awhile between big scores.

[46zilzal]

Because a Rachel had the best year for a 3 year old filly in history that's why.
in YOUR limited historical perspective that is: Historically there are others who did more.

Pretty Polly (24 22-2-0) regarded as the greatest race mare of all time. Champion at two and three Epsom Oaks, St. Leger, Coronation Cup twice. Tail male ancestor of Arabella. Brigadier Gerrard, Carroll House, Daumier, Donatello II, Fluet, Enchantee, Flying Water, Luthier, Marwell, Neartic, Premonition, St. paddy, Swain, ...called the "peerless Pretty Polly."

[FenceBored]

in YOUR limited historical perspective that is: Historically there are others who did more.

Pretty Polly (24 22-2-0) regarded as the greatest race mare of all time. Champion at two and three Epsom Oaks, St. Leger, Coronation Cup twice. Tail male ancestor of Arabella. Brigadier Gerrard, Carroll House, Daumier, Donatello II, Fluet, Enchantee, Flying Water, Luthier, Marwell, Neartic, Premonition, St. paddy, Swain, ...called the "peerless Pretty Polly."

Zman, posting her lifetime numbers they way you did makes it look like her 3 year old numbers.

Apart from that: :ThmbUp:

[PaceAdvantage]

in YOUR limited historical perspective that is: Historically there are others who did more.

Pretty Polly (24 22-2-0) regarded as the greatest race mare of all time. Champion at two and three Epsom Oaks, St. Leger, Coronation Cup twice. Tail male ancestor of Arabella. Brigadier Gerrard, Carroll House, Daumier, Donatello II, Fluet, Enchantee, Flying Water, Luthier, Marwell, Neartic, Premonition, St. paddy, Swain, ...called the "peerless Pretty Polly."Interesting the only filly you could conjure was a non-American...I guess he should have qualified his statement:

"Because Rachel had the best year for a 3 year old filly in the history of American racing."

Try that one on for size and get back to us with your VAST HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE...

[CincyHorseplayer]

Oh you could forgive him, the surface was a mess. We know he's better than a 56 half.


That's what I was about to say.When a surface is that messed up it's your bad to make a serious bet.And that day was really horrible.There was literally puddles on the turf.

There was a recent topic talking about this.If you've been around the block more than once,you know better about offtracks.Strange things become routine.

[ranchwest]

That's what I was about to say.When a surface is that messed up it's your bad to make a serious bet.And that day was really horrible.There was literally puddles on the turf.

There was a recent topic talking about this.If you've been around the block more than once,you know better about offtracks.Strange things become routine.

P4. I got the dirt races and had multiple horses in the turf race. I didn't have the 38/1 moving at 56 and 1.

While you're right that stuff happens on off tracks, I still think the race was a blemish for Gio Ponti when compared to two outstanding undefeated horses.

[CincyHorseplayer]

P4. I got the dirt races and had multiple horses in the turf race. I didn't have the 38/1 moving at 56 and 1.

While you're right that stuff happens on off tracks, I still think the race was a blemish for Gio Ponti when compared to two outstanding undefeated horses.


Ranchwest,

I've had my balls routinely kicked in with the offtracks!!I think it's a universal lesson we should all learn and respect.There is no way getting around it.Unless it stops raining;)

[ranchwest]

Ranchwest,

I've had my balls routinely kicked in with the offtracks!!I think it's a universal lesson we should all learn and respect.There is no way getting around it.Unless it stops raining;)

You're right, of course, as we discussed in another thread. The problem for me was that this was the 3rd leg of the P4 and I really didn't have any idea of the condition of the track when the P4 started.

[castaway01]

Interesting the only filly you could conjure was a non-American...I guess he should have qualified his statement:

"Because Rachel had the best year for a 3 year old filly in the history of American racing."

Try that one on for size and get back to us with your VAST HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE...

There's so much to debate about horse racing that can't be settled, but I have trouble finding a counterargument to your statement (which I've posted a few times myself). Someone will probably come up with a horse from 1902 that ran 70 times with 43 wins though, so you might need to say "in the last 100 years". Kidding, I hope.

As far as Gio Ponti, he's a fine horse, but this was the wrong year to even consider him a possibility for horse of the year.