LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Dual Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti secured a spot in the Breeders’ Cup, winning the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile on Saturday at Keeneland.
Sent off as the 4-to-5 favorite, the champion gained control late under jockey Ramon Dominguez to beat Society’s Chairman by a length. The Christophe Clement trainee paid $3.60, $2.60 and $2.10, Society’s Chairman returned $8.00 and $3.40, and Courageous Cat paid $2.80 to show.
One race earlier, J.B.’s Thunder led a well-matched field of 11 juveniles nearly gate to wire in the $400,000 Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity, but is only “50-50” to make the Breeders’ Cup despite his automatic berth, according to trainer Al Stall Jr. J.B.’s Thunder paid $13.60, $7.20 and $5, Santiva returned $7.80 and $5.20, and Willcox Inn paid $5.60 to show.
Juddmonte Farms’ Proviso earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, beating C.S. Silk by a half-length in the $400,000 The Abu Dhabi First Lady Stakes. Proviso, trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Mike Smith, ran a mile in 1:34.81, and paid $4.60, $3.20 and $2.10 for her fourth straight Grade I victory. C.S. Silk returned $13 and $8.40, and Gotta Have Her paid $4.40 to show.
