BloodHorse.com | Horse Racing News

Smithwick Wins Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award

Patrick Smithwick was awarded the seventh annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award during an evening ceremony April 10 at Castleton Lyons Farm near Lexington.

Ryan Book Award Finalists Announced

The finalists for the seventh annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award include a sequel to a previous finalist; a biography of a noted jockey; and a chronicle of the pursuit of American racing's ultimate goal.

Ryan Book Award Semi-Finalist Announced

The semi-finalists for the seventh annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award have been chosen from a strong group of submissions.

Gio Ponti's First Foal Arrives in Ontario

The first reported foal by three-time Eclipse Award Winner Gio Ponti was born Jan. 11 at Huntington Stud Farm in Kleinburg, Ontario.

Castleton Lyons Sets Open House Jan. 7-11

The farm is welcoming the return of Gio Ponti from stud duty in Australia.

Ryan Book Award Entries Being Taken

Castleton Lyons announced entries are being taken for the seventh annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, a competition recognizing excellence in writing in the Thoroughbred industry.

Gio Ponti to Stand for $20,000

Gio Ponti, a three-time Eclipse Award winner, will stand in 2013 for $20,000 at Castleton Lyons.

Keeneland Day 4: Average and Median Increase

The good news during the fourth session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale was that the average and median both increases. The bad news was the rise in the buy-back rate.

Prominent Horseman Cashman Dies at Age 72

John Cashman, president of the former Castleton Standardbred operation in Lexington for more than 20 years and the father of New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, died Sept. 22 in Atlantis, Fla., from cancer.

Champion Gio Ponti to Shuttle to Arrowfield

Three-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti will shuttle from Castleton Lyons near Lexington to Arrowfield Stud in New South Wales, Australia in 2012.

Bullish Market Continues at Keeneland Sale

The strong pace continued at Keeneland's November breeding stock sale Nov. 13, highlighted by the $190,000 paid by Castleton Lyons for Sanadaat, a 3-year-old filly by Unbridled's Song.

Gio Ponti to Stand at Castleton Lyons

Castleton Lyons' three-time homebred champion Gio Ponti has been retired from racing to stand at stud in 2012 at the Lexington farm.

Gio Ponti Confirmed for the BC Mile

Shane Ryan, president of Castleton Lyons, announced Oct. 27 that Gio Ponti will run in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) rather than the Classic (gr. I) at Churchill Downs Nov. 5.

Castleton Lyons Stallion Bernstein Dies

Bernstein, the sire of 70 stakes winners, was euthanized Oct. 23 because of complications from colic. The 14-year-old stallion by Storm Cat out of the Affirmed mare La Affirmed stood at Castleton Lyons near Lexington.

Gio Ponti Back to New York

Gio Ponti, winner of Saturday's Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland, will be returning to trainer Christophe Clement's Belmont Park base.

Gio Ponti Back on Track, Repeats in Turf Mile

Castleton Lyons Farm's Gio Ponti rallied past Get Stormy and Sidney's Candy in deep stretch to win the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) for the second consecutive year Oct. 8 at Keeneland.

Clement Still Pointing Gio Ponti to BC Mile

Trainer of three-time Eclipse champion and 2010 BC Mile runner-up feels the Mile is again the best spot for the 6-year-old horse.

Gio Ponti Working Toward Arlington Million

Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti, reigning male turf champion, breezed five furlongs on turf Monday, July 25, at Saratoga as the 6-year-old continues to prepare for the Aug. 13 Arlington Million (gr. IT) at Arlington Park.

Giant's Causeway Filly Shines at Arqana Sale

A daughter of Giant's Causeway led the way at the Arqana breeze-up sale at Saint-Cloud in France, bringing €260,000 ($369,585 in U.S. funds) May 14.

Gio Ponti Leads Turf Classic Nominees

Two-time Champion Gio Ponti tops the list of early nominees to the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic. He could face last year's winner General Quarters in the grade I race May 7.

Gio Ponti Keeps Collecting Awards

Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti repeats as champion Turf Male. The son of Tale of the Cat won the Shadwell Turf Mile, was second in TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT).

Castleton Lyons Prices Bernstein at $20,000

Bernstein, who is represented as a stallion by 19 stakes winners this year, will stand in 2011 for $20,000 at Shane Ryan's Castleton Lyons near Lexington.

Gio Ponti to Race Next Year

Gio Ponti, the 2009 champion grass male and older male for Shane Ryan's Castleton Lyons, will race as a 6-year-old in 2011 instead of standing at stud.

Gio Ponti to Run in Mile, Not the Classic

Gio Ponti, the gutsy horse who finished second to Zenyatta in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic, will not be taking another shot at the super mare in this year's race Nov. 6 and will run in the Mile instead.

Gio Ponti Rallies to Win Turf Mile

Champion Gio Ponti niftily split horses in deep stretch and went on to win the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) Oct. 9 at Keeneland to notch his sixth grade I score.

Gio Ponti Up Late to Repeat in Man o' War

Reigning champion Gio Ponti closed into a slow pace but was still able to get up by a measured neck to score his first win of the season and defend his title in the $600,000 Man o' War Stakes (gr. IT) July 10 at Belmont.

TOBA to Hold Breeding Clinic in Lexington

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association announced May 10 that it will hold a Thoroughbred Breeding Clinic May 21-May 23 in Lexington.

Toccet to Dana Point in Pennsylvania

Toccet, sire of 2009 Sovereign Award finalist Awesome Rhythm, will stand at Dana Point Farm near Lenhartsville, Pa.

Champion Older Male: Gio Ponti

Son of Tale of the Cat dominated the turf division in a season that lacked a main track standout; finished second to Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic

Champion Turf Male: Gio Ponti

Castleton Lyons' homebred won four consecutive grade I turf races, ran second in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (gr. IT) and Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).

Ford Benefits From Stallion Promotion

Diamond A Farms owner wins a Range Rover from Castleton Lyons.

Action This Day to Dana Point in Pennsylvania

Champion Action This Day will stand in 2010 at Dana Point Farm near Lenhartsville, Pa., for a fee of $3,500.

Modigliani to Castleton Lyons

Modigliani, sire of Italian champion Magritte, will relocate to Castleton Lyons near Lexington from Greentree Stud in Ireland for the 2010 breeding season.

Gio Ponti to Race in 2010

Gio Ponti, the leading candidate for champion turf male, will stay in training in 2010. Campaigned by Castleton Lyons, he is being pointed to the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) in early spring.

Bernstein's Fee Reduced

Castleton Lyons (Shane Ryan, president) has reduced the fee for Bernstein to $25,000 from $27,500.

Action This Day to Castleton Lyons

Champion Action This Day will return to Castleton Lyons (Shane Ryan, president) near Lexington, where he started his stallion career.

Laureate Conductor Heads Kent Field

Castleton Lyons' Laureate Conductor is the 3-2 morning line favorite for the 1 1/8-mile Kent Stakes (gr. IIIT) Sept. 5 at Delaware Park.

Turf Classic or C. Hirsch Next For Gio Ponti

Trainer Christophe Clement said Aug. 26 that Gio Ponti, winner of four consecutive grade I turf races, will race next in either the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) Oct. 3 at Belmont or the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship (gr. IT) Oct. 11 at Santa Anita in his final prep for the Breeders' Cup World Championships in November.

Gio Ponti Much the Best in Arlington Million

Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti notched his fourth consecutive grade I victory Aug. 8 at Arlington Park, as he rolled to a 1 1/4-length win in the Arlington Million (gr. IT) under Ramon Dominguez.

Gio Ponti Scores Third Straight Gr. I

Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti notched his third consecutive grade I win when he came from off the pace to take the $500,000 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park July 11. The 4-year-old son of Tale of the Cat won for the fourth time in five starts on Belmont's turf course.

Last to First for Gio Ponti in Manhattan

Belmont track announcer Tom Durkin made note of Gio Ponti being at the back of the pack as the field turned down the backside in the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan (gr. IT), but the colt came from last to first to win the race in dramatic fashion.

Gio Ponti Denies Ventura in Kilroe Mile

Gio Ponti, driving for the wire under a frantic Ramon Dominguez, got up just in time to nose the outstanding mare Ventura in the $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (gr. IT) on the Santa Anita turf March 7.

Bernstein to Stay in U.S.

Castleton Lyons announced March 6 that leading sire Bernstein will not shuttle to Haras La Biznaga for the 2009 southern hemisphere breeding season.

Surface Switch No Problem for Gio Ponti

Favored Gio Ponti waited for room under a patient Garrett Gomez and blasted through the pack mid-stretch to win the $100,000 Sir Beaufort Stakes going away in a race taken off the Santa Anita Park turf course and transferred to the Pro-Ride main surface Dec. 26.

Bernstein's Fee Upped to $27,500

Bernstein, fourth on this year's sires of 2-year-olds list, will stand at Castleton Lyons near Lexington for $27,500.

Gio Ponti, Court Vision Hook Up Again

Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti, who has established himself as one of the top 3-year-old turf runners in the nation this year, looks to return to his winning ways when he takes on six sophomores in the $250,000 Jamaica Handicap (gr. IIT) Oct. 4 at Belmont Park.

Promising Filly Runs Like a Sweet Song

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Doremefasollatido is delivering on the great breeding and tremendous unfulfilled promise her sire, Bernstein, showed on the racetrack. Though a group stakes winner, Bernstein never became the promising racehorse he appeared to be at 2. He has made it up as a sire, quickly. Bernstein's first crop had 38 foals, 38 starters, and 31 winners (19 2-year-old winners).

Sweet Hope Wins Endine

High Bank Syndicate's 3-year-old Sweet Hope made good in her first start against older distaffers when she captured the $205,000 Endine Stakes (gr. III) Sept. 6 at Delaware Park.

Gio Ponti Builds Rep in Virginia Derby

Gio Ponti got the nose decision over Court Vision in the $772,500 Virginia Derby (gr. IIT) in a tremendous stretch run over the Colonial Downs turf course July 19, spoiling favored Sailor's Cap's shot at a $5 million bonus.

Grade I Winner Toccet's First Winner

Toccet, a grade I winner, came through with his first winner when his daughter Skirting Disaster won July 3 at Louisiana Downs.