Man o` war Replay.

Gio Ponti Trained by Chris clement and ridden by Ramon Dominguez won the $500,000 Man o` war stakes gr1 at Belmont Park over 1m3f(turf) proving that he is the best turf horse in the States.

Dominguez kept the winner on the outside and well positioned,and turning for home he kicked and the race was soon settled.



Looks like the Americans have got a horse they can go to war with this year against the usual strong challenge from the Europeans in the Breeders cup Turf.( read somewhere that the breeders cup meeting could be facing a big prize money cut from next season)

Morning Hibby, won a good race, many stars have won the Man O War, Secretariat, Dahlia, Curlin.

Gio Ponti lands third Grade 1 in Man o'War

Belmont Park: Man o'War Stakes (Grade 1) 1m3f, turf, 3yo+

GIO PONTI (Chris Clement/Ramon Dominguez) looks the number one turf performer in the US after completing a Grade 1 hat-trick with an authoritative victory in the Man o'War Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday.


Drawn on the outside in a field of nine for the $500,000 event, Gio Ponti was sent off favourite at just over 2-1.

Although he was always travelling kindly off a pedestrian pace set by outsider Musketier and the fancied Midships, Gio Ponti was forced to race four wide throughout.

After turning into the stretch, Gio Ponti launched an irresistible charge to score an emphatic victory over the most accomplished group of grass horses assembled so far this year in the States featuring no fewer than six Grade or Group 1 winners.

"I was very concerned about the position I had," jockey Ramon Dominguez told the Blood-Horse.

"I was very happy with the fact that I was close, knowing that they were going very so slow and having my horse so relaxed.

"But I was not happy about the fact that for one thing, I was very wide and also I was in the clear, which is not really ideal for these turf horses.

"But he was always relaxed and he proved that he's a runner. I was very impressed and very pleased with the way he finished."

Front-running Musketier, a 26-1 shot, held on for second a length and three-quarters behind the winner ahead of Germany's Quijano, who hugged the rail before being switched late between horses. French-trained Chinchon took fourth.

Gio Ponti had already won Grade 1 events on either side of the country this season.

Having touched off Breeders' Cup winner Ventura in the Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in March, the four-year-old son of Tale Of The Cat beat Marsh Side in the Manhattan Handicap on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

Trainer Chris Clement has nominated the Arlington Million in three weeks' time as the winner's next target.

"You know what, it's nice when they're that good," Clement said.

"This is his third Grade 1 in a row - it just confirms that at the moment, I'm afraid, he's got to be the leader of the turf division here."

Also on Saturday

Calder: Princess Rooney Hcap (Grade 1) 6f, dirt, 3yo+ f/m

Game Face (Todd Pletcher/Edgar Prado), sent off a geenrous-looking 9-5 favourite, totally outclassed a weakish field to break her Grade 1 duck by nearly seven lengths under minimal urging from her rider.

Calder: Smile Sprint Hcap (Grade 2) 6f, dirt, 3yo+

A shock result in this $350,000 contest as 15-1 shot Eaton's Gift (Dale Romans/Jose Lezcano) comfortablyheld the late rally of sprint champion Benny The Bull by a length and a half.

Breeders' Cup could cut back 14-race programme


USA: According to published reports in the States, the Breeders' Cup could cut back on its current programme of 14 races in future years.

Prize-money cuts are also possible as the organisation behind the event revealed forecasts of a $6 million deficit in 2009.

Six new races - three more each year - have been added to the Breeders' Cup programme since 2007, when the meeting was expanded to make it a two-day extravanganza.

However, Breeders' Cup officials said on Friday that the event may be streamlined afterthe 2009 meeting at Santa Anita on November 6-7.

Speaking in the Daily Racing Form, Breeders' Cup chief executive Greg Avioli suggested the 14-race series - which is preceded by the ‘Win and You're In' challenge series feature 62 qualifying races - was tricky to follow.

"The concern is, how do we lead into 14 different races, in 14 different divisions," said Avioli. "It's very difficult to do with 14 divisions."

For23 years before 2007, the Breeders' Cup was a one-day event, initially featuring seven races and then eight after the addition of the Filly & Mare Turf.

News that the number of races involved could be pared back again comes hot on the heels of reports that the Breeders' Cup is operating at a "substantial deficit" - which could force prize-money cuts.

According to the Form, Breeders' Cup Ltd has forecast a $6m deficit this year on expenses of approximately $50m, about $30.5m of which is purses.

An attempt to suspend the $6m supplemental programme last year that backs races leading up to the Breeders' Cup was scrapped when nominators objected.

"There's noway we can continue operating our company with the deficits we've had," said Breeders' Cup director Terry Finley, the owner of West Point Thoroughbreds.

"There's obviously going to be some changes to the business and tweaks to the model," he added, speaking to the Form.

"We're all of the same opinion that everything is on the table. We wouldn't be doing our jobs if that wasn't the case."