Gio Ponti’s first North American winner Most Inspiring
Triple Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti, who stood the 2012 season at Arrowfield, posted his first North American winner on Friday 31 July when 2YO filly Most Inspiring scored a dominant debut win at Woodbine.
The grey filly jumped smartly in the six-furlong turf maiden then settled easily behind Valentine’s Pearl and Morning Vow. As they came round the turn Most Inspiring’s jockey Luis Contreras went for a clear run on the fence and, although momentarily unbalanced by the late change of direction, the filly responded generously to win by more than three lengths in 1:10.36.
Watch Most Inspiring’s debut win here.
Most Inspiring, an attractive, racy type, was bought by owner Derek Chin for $57,000 from the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Sale. She was bred by Corner Farm and John Behrendt from Chemise, a daughter of Secret Hello (by Private Account) and already the dam of three Listed stakeswinners and the Grade 3-placed Hello Lover.
Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat-Chipeta Springs by Alydar) was US Champion Older Male of 2009 & Champion Turf Male in 2009 & 2010. Renowned as much for his soundness and consistency as his class, he won 12 of his 29 starts and earned $US6.1 million across five racing seasons.
Gio Ponti’s seven Grade 1 wins include the Arlington Million Stakes, Man o’ War Stakes (twice) and the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (twice). He also finished second in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic (to Zenyatta) and the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Mile (to Goldikova).
Gio Ponti stands in Kentucky at his owner’s Castleton Lyons farm at a fee of $US15,000.
Gio Ponti’s Australian-bred foals have just turned two and include fillies bought by Kevin Hickman, David Redvers, Dermot Farrington & Tony Noonan and colts bought by John Hyam, World Wide Bloodstock, Gabrielle Englebrecht & Robbie Laing.
