Gio Ponti (USA)
February 28, 2005 – Living
Tale of the Cat (USA) x Chipeta Springs (USA), by Alydar (USA)
Family 2-g
February 28, 2005 – Living
Tale of the Cat (USA) x Chipeta Springs (USA), by Alydar (USA)
Family 2-g
Consistent, sound, and better with age, Gio Ponti was something of an anomaly among the progeny of his sire Tale of the Cat, a horse better known for throwing speed. A Grade 1 winner at distances from a mile to 11 furlongs, Gio Ponti was at his best on turf but also competed well on synthetic surfaces and earned the 2009 Eclipse Award for best older male as well as the one for best turf male after running a good second to Zenyatta in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1). Retired to stud after racing through age 6, Gio Ponti was initially very popular but thus far has not lived up to expectations as a sire.
Race record
29 starts, 12 wins, 10 seconds, 1 third, US$6,169,800
2007:
2008:
2009:
2010:
2011:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 107 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 2007, 20 pounds below champion War Pass.
Rated at 115 pounds on the 2008 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his performances in the Virginia Derby and Jamaica Handicap, 15 pounds below joint highweights Curlin (the American Horse of the Year) and New Approach (the European champion 3-year-old male) and 10 pounds below the American champion turf male, Conduit.
Rated at 125 pounds on the 2009 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, 11 pounds below overall highweight Sea the Stars (the European Horse of the Year) and 3 pounds below Zenyatta (the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and American champion older female) for best performance on a synthetic surface.
Rated at 121 pounds on the 2010 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, 14 pounds below overall highweight Harbinger (who earned his rating in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes) and 7 pounds below the top miler, Makfi.
Rated at 120 pounds on the 2011 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Shadwell Turf Mile, 16 pounds below overall champion Frankel (the European Horse of the Year) and 2 pounds below the American champion turf male, Cape Blanco.
As an individual
A well-made bay horse standing a shade under 16.2 hands, Gio Ponti is more reminiscent of Alydar than Tale of the Cat in conformation, being leggier and more angular than most of the Storm Cat tribe. He has a well-laid shoulder with fairly prominent withers and a long, strongly constructed hip. Energetic and intelligent, he prefers to be the first horse taken out of the stallion barn in the morning and has a strong, purposeful walk. He likes peppermints and organic carrots as treats, and Castleton Lyons commercial manager Stuart Fitzgibbons insists that Gio Ponti knows the difference between his special carrots and the ordinary ones purchased from grocery chains.
As a stallion
Gio Ponti tends to stamp his foals with his bearing and way of moving.
Notable progeny
Drefong (USA), Sir Dudley Digges (CAN)
Connections
Bred by Kilboy Estate, Gio Ponti was owned by Shane Ryan’s Castleton Lyons Farm, which purchased him privately after the colt failed to make his reserve on a bid of US$95,000 at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale. He was trained by Christophe Clement and was ridden to most of his major wins by Ramon Dominguez. Gio Ponti entered stud in Kentucky at Castleton Lyons in 2012; he also shuttled to Australia that year.
Pedigree notes
Gio Ponti is inbred 4x3 to 1963 American co-champion 2-year-old male Raise a Native. He is a half brother to Grade 1-placed listed stakes winners Bon Jovi Girl (by Malibu Moon), dam of Canadian Grade 3 winner You’re to Blame (by Distorted Humor). He is also a half brother to Grade 3-placed listed stakes winners Fisher Pond (by A.P. Indy) and Antonia Autumn (by Bernardini).
Gio Ponti is out of stakes-placed Chipeta Springs, whose half sister Salty Gal (by Cox’s Ridge) is the dam of 2002 Donn Handicap (USA-G1) winner Mongoose (by Broad Brush) and Grade 3 winner Hesanoldsalt (by Broad Brush). Chipeta Springs is also a half sister to Salty Sal (by Cox’s Ridge), dam of Grade 3 winner Puxa Saco (by Dehere) and second dam of Peruvian Group 3 winner Carta de Amor.
Chipeta Springs and her siblings are out of 1982 Copa de Plata (ARG-G1) winner Salt Spring (by the Tom Rolfe horse Salt Marsh). Produced from Argentine Group 3-placed winner Jungle Mythologic (by Mount Athos), a half sister to four Argentine stakes winners, Salt Spring is a half sister to Far Famed (by Farnesio), dam of Argentine Group 3 winner Fisiquera (by Rainbow Corner). She is also a half sister to Group 3-placed Juvenilia (by Fort de France), second dam of Argentine Group 3 winner Jugarreta, South African Group 3 winner Joie de Vivre, and Chilean Group 3 winner Funny Joke.
Books and media
The New York Racing Association’s footage of Gio Ponti’s win in the 2009 Man o’ War Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGdl6LILUg4.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Castleton Lyons in 2014. Used by permission.
Last updated: December 31, 2023
Race record
29 starts, 12 wins, 10 seconds, 1 third, US$6,169,800
2007:
- Won Woodford Reserve Bourbon Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FT, Keeneland)
2008:
- Won Virginia Derby (USA-G2, 10FT, Colonial Downs)
- Won Hill Prince Stakes (USA-G3, 8FT, Belmont)
- Won Sir Beaufort Stakes (USA-G3, 8FA, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Del Mar Derby (USA-G2, 9FT, Del Mar)
- 2nd Jamaica Breeders Cup Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Belmont)
2009:
- Won Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (USA-G1, 8FT, Santa Anita)
- Won Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (USA-G1, 10FT, Belmont)
- Won Man o' War Stakes (USA-G1, 11FT, Belmont)
- Won Arlington Million Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FA, Santa Anita)
2010:
- Won Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (USA-G1, 8FT, Keeneland)
- Won Man o' War Stakes (USA-G1, 11FT, Belmont)
- 2nd TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1, 8FT, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Arlington Million Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Tampa Bay Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Tampa Bay Downs)
2011:
- Won Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (USA-G1, 8FT, Keeneland)
- 2nd Arlington Million Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Man o' War Stakes (USA-G1, 11FT, Belmont)
- 3rd Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (USA-G1, 10FT, Belmont)
Honors
- Eclipse Award, American champion older male (2009)
- Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (2009, 2010)
Assessments
Rated at 107 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 2007, 20 pounds below champion War Pass.
Rated at 115 pounds on the 2008 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his performances in the Virginia Derby and Jamaica Handicap, 15 pounds below joint highweights Curlin (the American Horse of the Year) and New Approach (the European champion 3-year-old male) and 10 pounds below the American champion turf male, Conduit.
Rated at 125 pounds on the 2009 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, 11 pounds below overall highweight Sea the Stars (the European Horse of the Year) and 3 pounds below Zenyatta (the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and American champion older female) for best performance on a synthetic surface.
Rated at 121 pounds on the 2010 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, 14 pounds below overall highweight Harbinger (who earned his rating in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes) and 7 pounds below the top miler, Makfi.
Rated at 120 pounds on the 2011 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Shadwell Turf Mile, 16 pounds below overall champion Frankel (the European Horse of the Year) and 2 pounds below the American champion turf male, Cape Blanco.
As an individual
A well-made bay horse standing a shade under 16.2 hands, Gio Ponti is more reminiscent of Alydar than Tale of the Cat in conformation, being leggier and more angular than most of the Storm Cat tribe. He has a well-laid shoulder with fairly prominent withers and a long, strongly constructed hip. Energetic and intelligent, he prefers to be the first horse taken out of the stallion barn in the morning and has a strong, purposeful walk. He likes peppermints and organic carrots as treats, and Castleton Lyons commercial manager Stuart Fitzgibbons insists that Gio Ponti knows the difference between his special carrots and the ordinary ones purchased from grocery chains.
As a stallion
Gio Ponti tends to stamp his foals with his bearing and way of moving.
Notable progeny
Drefong (USA), Sir Dudley Digges (CAN)
Connections
Bred by Kilboy Estate, Gio Ponti was owned by Shane Ryan’s Castleton Lyons Farm, which purchased him privately after the colt failed to make his reserve on a bid of US$95,000 at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale. He was trained by Christophe Clement and was ridden to most of his major wins by Ramon Dominguez. Gio Ponti entered stud in Kentucky at Castleton Lyons in 2012; he also shuttled to Australia that year.
Pedigree notes
Gio Ponti is inbred 4x3 to 1963 American co-champion 2-year-old male Raise a Native. He is a half brother to Grade 1-placed listed stakes winners Bon Jovi Girl (by Malibu Moon), dam of Canadian Grade 3 winner You’re to Blame (by Distorted Humor). He is also a half brother to Grade 3-placed listed stakes winners Fisher Pond (by A.P. Indy) and Antonia Autumn (by Bernardini).
Gio Ponti is out of stakes-placed Chipeta Springs, whose half sister Salty Gal (by Cox’s Ridge) is the dam of 2002 Donn Handicap (USA-G1) winner Mongoose (by Broad Brush) and Grade 3 winner Hesanoldsalt (by Broad Brush). Chipeta Springs is also a half sister to Salty Sal (by Cox’s Ridge), dam of Grade 3 winner Puxa Saco (by Dehere) and second dam of Peruvian Group 3 winner Carta de Amor.
Chipeta Springs and her siblings are out of 1982 Copa de Plata (ARG-G1) winner Salt Spring (by the Tom Rolfe horse Salt Marsh). Produced from Argentine Group 3-placed winner Jungle Mythologic (by Mount Athos), a half sister to four Argentine stakes winners, Salt Spring is a half sister to Far Famed (by Farnesio), dam of Argentine Group 3 winner Fisiquera (by Rainbow Corner). She is also a half sister to Group 3-placed Juvenilia (by Fort de France), second dam of Argentine Group 3 winner Jugarreta, South African Group 3 winner Joie de Vivre, and Chilean Group 3 winner Funny Joke.
Books and media
The New York Racing Association’s footage of Gio Ponti’s win in the 2009 Man o’ War Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGdl6LILUg4.
Fun facts
- Giovanni “Gio” Ponti was a famous Italian architect who designed and built more than 100 buildings around the world. He was also noted for his work in industrial design and furniture design and was an artist, teacher, writer, and publisher.
- Gio Ponti is the namesake for a stakes race for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Castleton Lyons in 2014. Used by permission.
Last updated: December 31, 2023