Gio Ponti captures Arlington Million

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — Gio Ponti started with a stumble and ended with a victory in the Arlington Million, his fourth consecutive Grade I victory on turf.

So is the 4-year-old colt the best grass horse in the country?

"I would venture to say that," winning jockey Ramon Dominguez said Saturday.

Gio Ponti, a 3-2 favorite, regrouped after the troubled start and beat 19-1 shot Just as Well by 1-¼ lengths in the 1-¼-mile race on a course rated good. Gio Ponti, trained by Christophe Clement, prevailed in 2 minutes, 4.19 seconds and returned $5 on a $2 win bet.

"I was a little worried when he stumbled coming out of the gate," Dominguez said. "I thought it would compromise my chances, but right away he came back up and was on the bridle, taking me every step of the way."

Gio Ponti started his Grade I winning streak in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., and added victories in the Man o' War and Manhattan at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The Million triumph earned him an automatic berth in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

Kent Desormeaux rode the winners of the two Grade I turf races earlier on the Arlington Park card, Take the Points ($7.40 to win) in the $400,000 Secretariat for 3-year-olds and 6-year-old mare Dynaforce ($17.20) in the $750,000 Beverly D.

Todd Pletcher trains Take the Points and Bill Mott trains Dynaforce.

Mr. Sidney, Desormeaux's mount in the Million, finished sixth in the field of eight.

"But it was a good day at the office," Desormeaux said. "Two out of three ain't bad."

Other races

• In Grade I races on dirt at Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., 5-year-old Bullsbay ($39.60) won the $750,000 Whitney and Flashing ($11.20) took the $300,000 Test for 3-year-old fillies.

Bullsbay, trained by H. Graham Motion and ridden by Jeremy Rose, went off at the highest odds in the six-horse field and beat Macho Again by 1-½ lengths in 1:48.12 for 1-1/8 miles. New York-bred Commentator, an 8-year-old seeking his third Whitney victory, led most of the way but faded to third.

A discouraged Nick Zito, who trains Commentator, said, "He gave it everything he had. I'm proud of him. Father Time catches up to everyone. It's up to the owners, but it is my wish to retire him. I don't want him running in those New York-bred races. He's Commentator."

Smooth Air, favored at 2-1, was last.

Flashing, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Richard Migliore, beat 13-1 shot Pretty Prolific by 1-½ lengths and covered 7 furlongs in 1:22.40. Favored Cat Moves was third.

Flashing rebounded after finishing 31-½ lengths behind superstar Rachel Alexandra in the June 27 Mother Goose at Belmont. "That's a different class, to run with Rachel," bin Suroor said.

• Zensational ($2.80) beat Talkin to Mom Roo by 2-½ lengths to win the Grade I Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar, near San Diego.

Zensational, a 3-year-old colt competing against opponents at least 5 years old, is trained by Bob Baffert. Victor Espinoza rode Zensational, who ran 6 furlongs in 1:08.57 on a synthetic track in the $300,000 race.