Gio Ponti among big-name workouts in Florida

Prominent workouts were turned in throughout the south Florida area Thursday morning, topped by Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti, who breezed an easy three-eighths in 37.20 at Payson Park. It was his first published work since his second-place finish behind Goldikova in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

“He was on a winter break,” said Christophe Clement, who trains Gio Ponti. “It was his first work back. He looked good and came back good. The idea is to run him in the World Cup. Hopefully, we can get a race into him first. The Canadian Turf at Gulfstream is a possibility, but this was just his first work. We’ve got a bit of time, and if we have to train him into the World Cup, we can do that, too.”

Clement was still beaming over winning another Eclipse with Gio Ponti at Monday’s awards ceremonies in Miami. Gio Ponti was named top male turf horse in 2010 after winning the older male and turf awards the previous year.

“It was very nice, especially to win two years in a row,” Clement said. “Both my crew and I are lucky to be around a horse like Gio Ponti and very grateful to Castleton Lyons to have been given that opportunity.”

Also Thursday, I Want Revenge worked six furlongs in 1:12.20 and Amen Hallelujah worked six furlongs in 1:13 at Gulfstream Park. At Palm Meadows, Dancinginherdreams worked four furlongs in 51.40, Morning Line worked four furlongs in 48.20, and Santiva worked four furlongs in 49.65.

Trainer Nick Zito said Morning Line, who finished third as the favorite in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope, is possible for the Grade 1 Donn Handicap on Feb. 5, as is his stablemate Fly Down.

-- additional reporting by Jay Privman