Irish invader Cape Blanco denied Gio Ponti his third consecutive win in the $600,000 Man o' War Stakes (gr. I) this afternoon at Belmont Park when he held off the latter for a two length victory in the historic event.
Sent off as the 3-1 second choice under Jamie Spencer, the four-year-old colt broke cleanly from the far outside post position and sprinted away to challenge Mission Approved for the early lead. Mission Approved, winner of the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (gr. I) last time out, broke like a rocket from the rail and went straight to the lead as usual. Boisterous was settling into third, followed by Al Khali, Bearpath, and the two-time Man o' War winner Gio Ponti, who trailed the field.
The early pace was not very quick, with Mission Approved running the opening fractions :23 3/5 and :50 1/5. Mission Approved continued to lead until the field entered the far turn, where Cape Blanco moved up to take a narrow advantage. In the meantime, Gio Ponti was swinging into contention on the far outside and was gaining ground rapidly.
Entering the homestretch Cape Blanco held a narrow lead over Mission Approved, but the latter had something left and was fighting on gamely. Gio Ponti was closing in with every stride, but Cape Blanco stayed on strongly to the finish to win by two lengths in 2:14 3/5.
Gio Ponti finished a clear second over Boisterous, with Mission Approved tiring very late in the race to finish a close fourth.
-Keelerman
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