Breeders' Cup Classic winner Volponi dead at 27
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Volponi, the upset winner of the 2002 Breeders' Cup Classic, has died in Korea at age 27.
Volponi, by Cryptoclearance, resided in Korea since moving there to continue his stallion career in the 2006 season. Korea Racing Authority records show that he died last Friday. A cause of death was not listed.
P.G. Johnson trained Volponi throughout his career for breeder Amherst Stable in partnership with Spruce Pond Stable. At age 2 in 2000, Volponi hit the board in his first four starts before Johnson entered him in the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes on the Belmont turf as a maiden. He won in a $21.80 upset, notching the first of what would be four career stakes scores.
He showed his versatility the following year, winning the Grade 2 Pegasus Handicap on the dirt at the Meadowlands. Volponi again won on both turf and dirt in his 2002 campaign at age 4. He won the Grade 3 Poker Handicap on the Belmont turf in July. Volponi followed up with a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap and a third in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Handicap, both on the Saratoga turf. He then finished second in the Grade 2 Belmont Breeders' Cup Handicap.
Shifted back to dirt, Volponi was second by three-quarters of a length in the Grade 2 Meadowlands Cup Handicap, prompting his entry in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic. Sent away as the longest shot in a field of 12 at Arlington Park, Volponi, under Jose Santos, ran away from Grade 1 winner Medaglia d'Oro to win by 6 1/2 lengths. He returned $89 for the triumph over a field that also included champions Macho Uno, War Emblem, Milwaukee Brew, Evening Attire, Hawk Wing, Harlan's Holiday, Came Home, and Perfect Drift. Volponi's win later became somewhat infamous, as his upset helped reveal a betting scandal in the Pick 6.
Volponi did not win again, but he continued to race strongly through the 2003 season, finishing second or third in six consecutive graded stakes. Those included a runner-up effort behind Mineshaft, who would be 2003 Horse of the Year, in the Grade 1 Suburban Handicap, and a second to Medaglia d'Oro in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap.
After finishing 10th in the 2003 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in his final career start, Volponi concluded his racing career with a record of 31-7-12-5 and earnings of $3,187,232.
Volponi retired to Hopewell Stud in Kentucky, where he stood for two seasons before being sold to Korean interests. According to Equineline statistics, he is the sire of 99 career winners from 162 starters. His top earner is Cheongnyong Bisang, a Korean champion who is a multiple graded stakes winner in his home country, for earnings of $550,577 in U.S. dollars.
Volponi's top North American runners in North America are Clearly Foxy, a Grade 3 winner at Woodbine and Grade 1-placed in California, and Poni Colada, a three-time stakes winner in New Mexico. He is also the sire of stakes winners in Italy and Mexico.
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