Are you looking for an early Volponi for this year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I)? Well, you just might have seen him on Saturday...on the grass...finishing second. When it comes to the hard-knocking Awesome Gem, who has his good days and his bad days, I can't help hearing Ralph Kramden (yes, I'm a Honeymooners fanatic): "One of these days...one of these days - "Bang! Zoom!"
Sunday, July 26, 2009
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Candy Ride's success as a first-crop sire was emphasized recently when daughter Evita Argentina took the Moccasin Stakes at Hollywood Park, and his son El Brujo claimed runner-up spot in Canada's top juvenile contest, the Coronation Futurity. Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Poni Colada remained unbeaten in New Mexico with an eight-length laugher in the $100,000 Borderland Derby for 3-year-olds at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on Feb. 16.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Trainer Mark Casse took an unusual route to the Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) with Clearly Foxy, starting her twice on the Woodbine lawn, where she broke her maiden at first asking.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Trainer Mark Casse's runners swept the board in the CAN$162,000 Natalma Stakes (Can-III) for 2-year-old fillies, with the longest of his three hopes, 17-1 shot Clearly Foxy, driving to victory for jockey Jono Jones on the Woodbine lawn Sept. 9.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Volponi, winner of the 2002 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), and grade II winner Monarch's Maze were represented by their first winners June 21.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Millionaire Volponi has been purchased by the Korean Racing Association and will be relocated to the Jeju Stud and Training Farm.
Monday, December 12, 2005
With his disappointing fourth-place finish in Saturday's Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II), Perfect Drift has now become a longshot special for the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I). And that makes him even more enticing, as he tries to emulate Volponi, another versatile, hard-knocking warrior who saved his best performance for the Classic.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
The first reported foal by millionaire Volponi is a filly born Jan. 21 at Lakland North, owned by Lewis and Brenda Lakin and Becky Thomas, near Hudson, N.Y.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Joe McGinniss, whose previous books include
Fatal Vision and
The Selling of the President, 1968, is the author of a wonderful new racing book published by Simon & Schuster titled
The Big Horse which tells the story of Hall of Fame trainer Phil "P.G." Johnson and the 2003 campaign of Volponi. It is a heartwarming, inspiring story that will have you laughing out loud.
Thursday, August 26, 2004
By Paul Volponi -- Johnson was elected to racing's Hall of Fame in 1997. The honor was a tribute to the trainer's incredible consistency. He was enshrined without a dominating champion. Instead of a Pegasus, he rose on the wings of a work ethic that woke him at 2:30 a.m. each morning as he walked a treadmill and watched tapes of races before heading to the barn.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Hall of Fame trainer P.G. Johnson, who trained his family's homebred Volponi to win the 2002 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), died at his Rockville Centre, N.Y., home.
Friday, August 06, 2004
Mary Kay Johnson, wife of Hall of Fame trainer Phil "P.G." Johnson and a member of the family-owned Amherst Stable, which raced Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Volponi in partnership, died Tuesday night at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, N.Y., of an apparent heart attack.
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
From preceding page Tuesday, December 09, 2003
Hall of Fame trainer Phil "P.G." Johnson's 5-year-old multi-millionaire Volponi will enter stud at Rick and Liz Trontz' Hopewell Farm near Midway, Ky., in 2004.
Friday, October 31, 2003
Multi millionaire Volponi, last year's winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), but last in this year's renewel when it was sponsored by Dodge, has been retired from racing, but no decision has been reached as to where he will enter stud.
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
As in past Breeders' Cups, there are longshots galore in this year's World Thoroughbred Championships. Finding them, however, is another matter. This year, the task will be more challenging than usual.
Friday, October 24, 2003
It was 34 degrees in New York Thursday morning. The three New York-based horses for the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) – Funny Cide, Volponi, and Evening Attire -- were a bit warmer as they tried to acclimate to the unusually hot weather in Southern California.
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Bob Baffert wishes the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) was tomorrow. Make that today. The $4-million dollar race can't come too soon for Baffert, who says Congaree is doing super after suffering a quarter crack last week.
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Two contenders for the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) turned in their final works in preparation for Saturday's World Thoroughbred Championships at Belmont Park.
Monday, October 20, 2003
Volponi, last year's upset winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I), worked a half-mile in :47 3/5 over the Belmont training track Tuesday morning, much to the satisfaction of jockey Jose Santos.
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Because of a prior commitment, Jose Santos will ride Volponi in the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) instead of Funny Cide, whom he guided to victory in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness (gr. I).
Monday, October 13, 2003
Martin S. Schwartz's Bowman's Band, making his first start for Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens, kicked clear in the upper stretch and went on to post a 12-1 upset in Friday night's $400,000 Meadowlands Breeders' Cup (gr. II).
Saturday, October 04, 2003
The favorite hasn't won the Meadowlands Cup since Marquetry in 1993, but trainer P.G. Johnson is hoping to break that trend when he brings Volponi from New York to New Jersey for Friday's grade II test at Meadowlands. The 5-year-old finished second in last year's running of the race.
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Volponi, who used the Meadowlands Cup (gr. III) as a springboard to victory in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), breezed a half mile in :49 2/5 at Belmont for Friday night's running of the 1 1/8-mile event.
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Dual Classic winner Funny Cide along with Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Volponi top a list of 29 nominations for this year's 26th running of the Oct. 3 Meadowlands Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. II).
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Hall of Fame trainer Phil Johnson has decided to follow the same route in October that Volponi traveled to an upset victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) last year.
Friday, September 19, 2003
Volponi needed a victory Saturday, but his connections weren't counting on having to beat 16-1 Della Francesca in the $209,600 Belmont Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT).
Saturday, September 13, 2003
Saturday's Belmont Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT) will feature last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Volponi, who will be running on grass for the first time since he ran second in this race last year.
Thursday, September 11, 2003
After some additional research into the records was done by journalist Bill Mooney, it appears likely that trainer Todd Pletcher smashed the 49-year-old Saratoga standard for victories quite a bit earlier than first thought.
Saturday, August 30, 2003
Trainer Bobby Frankel said Friday that Whitney Handicap (gr. I) winner Medaglia d'Oro popped a pus pocket in a foot this week, a few days after finishing second to Candy Ride in the Pacific Classic (gr. I).
Friday, August 29, 2003
Funny Cide and Empire Maker may not have made it to the Travers Aug. 23, but the fans did. Several records were set at Saratoga Race Course in the process.
Sunday, August 24, 2003
From Preceding Page Tuesday, August 19, 2003
According to trainer Todd Pletcher, Harlan's Holiday is likely to retired after damaging a suspensory ligament during the running of the Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II).
Sunday, August 17, 2003
Joseph V. Shields Jr.'s Puzzlement squeezed through a hole on the rail with jockey Jorge Chavez and went on to post a surprise victory over bridesmaid of the year Volponi in the $300,000 Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II).
Sunday, August 17, 2003
Amherst and Spruce Pond Stable's Volponi has finished second in four starts this year after winning the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) last fall. Jose Santos, aboard for all those races, has been replaced by Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey for Saturday's $300,000 Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) at 1 1/4 miles.
Thursday, August 14, 2003
Hall of Fame trainer Phil Johnson tried to out-think Breeders' Cup Classic (gr.I) winner Volponi Wednesday. He was at least partially successful.
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
With Anticipation's bid to become the first horse to win the Sword Dancer (gr.IT) three straight times ended before it began.
Saturday, August 09, 2003
A scheduled work for Bird Town was interrupted by weather; Funny Cide may jog Friday; Volponi is undergoing a blood test; trainer Pletcher and owner Dogwood face decisions; plus lots of other news and notes from the Spa.
Thursday, August 07, 2003
Funny Cide came out of his third-place finish in Sunday's $1 million Haskell (gr. I) with a slight temperature, leaving his status for the Aug. 23 Travers in doubt.
Monday, August 04, 2003
Volponi, second in the Whitney (gr. I) on Saturday, will have a new rider when he returns to the races.
Sunday, August 03, 2003
Edmund Gann's Medaglia d'Oro withstood a determined rally from his rival Volponi in the stretch and pulled away for a one-length victory in the $750,000 Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga Saturday.
Saturday, August 02, 2003
Medaglia d'Oro and Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Volponi are among a contentious field of eight older horses entered for Saturday's $750,000 Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
Thursday, July 31, 2003
Empire Maker, Peace Rules and Sky Mesa all worked Saturday morning on the main track at Saratoga Race Course in preparation for their scheduled starts in stakes races on Aug. 3.
Saturday, July 26, 2003
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas is ready for the relaxed atmosphere at Saratoga, while trainers Nick Zito and P. G. Johnson prepare Bird Town and Volponi for their major tasks ahead.
Monday, July 21, 2003
Mineshaft showed he is still a force to be reckoned with in the handicap ranks with an impressive victory over Volponi and Dollar Bill in the $500,000 Suburban Handicap (gr. I) at Belmont Park on Saturday.
Sunday, July 06, 2003
Iron Deputy, the least-heralded of the five runners in Saturday's $250,000 Brooklyn Handicap (gr. II), used a big break in the weights and his own speed to score a front-running 2 ½-length victory in the nine-furlong race.
Sunday, June 15, 2003
A short but select field of six older runners were entered for Saturday's $250,000 Brooklyn Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park, including Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Volponi and graded stakes winners Harlan's Holiday and Evening Attire.
Thursday, June 12, 2003
Volponi and Evening Attire are slated to face off in Saturday's Brooklyn Handicap at Belmont Park. The race is the first leg of the NTRA's Summer Pick 3, which includes the Leonard Richards Stakes from Delaware and the Stephen Foster from Churchill Downs.
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
Jockey Jose Santos, who will ride Funny Cide in his bid for the Triple Crown Saturday afternoon in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), has a lot of people in his corner. Count among them Hall of Fame trainer P.G. Johnson, who compared him to the legendary Braulio Baeza.
Tuesday, June 03, 2003
