Gio Ponti to stand for $20K after his return from Australia

Castleton Lyons in Lexington, Ky., announced on Friday that champion Gio Ponti will stand for a fee of $20,000 in 2013, the same as this year. The three-time Eclipse Award winner stood his first season in 2012 at Castleton Lyons before shuttling to Arrowfield Stud in Australia for the Southern Hemisphere season.

Gio Ponti was bred to a full book of mares at Castleton Lyons, his mates including Arch’s Gal Edith, dam of Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner I’ll Have Another.

“We had a great response from breeders to Gio Ponti in his freshman season, and he has also been very well received at Arrowfield Stud,” said Castleton Lyons commercial manager Stuart Fitzgibbon. “We are looking forward to Gio Ponti’s return from Australia by Christmas, and to the first crop of foals in the spring for this classy, sound and brilliant performer.”

Gio Ponti, a 7-year-old by Tale of the Cat out of the Alydar mare Chipeta Springs, won 12 of 29 starts for Castleton Lyons in five racing seasons and earned $6,169,800. He tallied seven Grade 1 wins and was named champion turf male in 2009 and 2010 as well as champion older male in 2009.