NEW YORK (AP) — Gio Ponti, last year’s dual Eclipse Award winner as top older horse and grass champion, snapped a five-race losing streak Saturday with a narrow win in the $600,000 Man o’ War Stakes at Belmont Park.
Ramon Dominguez was aboard as Gio Ponti, the trailer for much of the race, surged in the lane to beat Mission Approved, the longest price in the race at 53-1, by a neck. The victory gave Gio Ponti, a 5-year-old, a fifth Grade 1 win.
The time was 2:16.20 for the 1 3-8 miles on the firm turf course.
Gio Ponti ran his record to 10-6-0 in 20 starts. The $360,000 winner’s share boosted his earnings to $4,123,800.
Gio Ponti paid $2.80, $2.30 and $2.10 as the 2-5 favorite. Mission Approved returned $17.80 and $7.40. Expansion paid $2.80 to show.
