Gocciadoro’s Golden Boy glitters in Naples

by Thomas Hedlund

Sunday’s (July 6) $165,000 Gran Premio Citta di Napoli in Naples became a worth-seeing duel between two strong Italian-bred 3-year-olds.

Golden Boy (Maharajah) has been competing under the radar in the Italian G-crop, mostly because of the dominant Ginostrabliggi, who has dominated the biggest races in Italy so far. But in Sunday’s race in Naples, Alessandro Gocciadoro trained Golden Boy could claim his biggest triumph in his career and he did it on the lead. Gocciadoro sent his horse to the front on the backstretch and Golden Boy got company from first over trotter Galileo Ferm with a kilometer to go.

These two horses dueled throughout the remainder of the event and inside trotter Golden Boy proved strongest in the stretch.

Golden Boy won in a mile rate of 1:56.2 over 1.3 miles.

The filly division of the $70,000 Gran Premio Citta di Napoli ended with victory for Erik Bondo trained Glory Winner (Vivid Wise As), who showed great strength after a first over trip. Glory Winner won in 1:57.3.

ÖNAS PRINCE BIG CHEESE IN JARLSBERG

Still going strong at 8 years old, Önas Prince (Chocolatier) never seems to get tired of competing and Per Nordström’s beautiful trotter showed up in Jarlsberg on Sunday (July 6) afternoon, looking as good as ever.

Önas Prince has been a safe card in hand when it comes to ability to leave behind the gate and most of the wins (35 in 61 starts) in his career have been taken from the lead, or position first over, that’s the way he likes it and that’s the way he did it in Sunday’s $165,000 Ulf Thoresen Grand International.

Önas Prince went to the lead immediately as the car accelerated and driver Nordström had plenty of gas to use as the field turned onto the backstretch for the last time. The 8-year-old Chocolatier son just cruised in front and left his opponents several lengths behind in the stretch as he won in a stakes equaling mile rate of 1:53.2 over 1.3 miles.

Norway’s Daim Brodda finished furiously from a bad position to be runner-up and Thor Borg’s horse proved that she will be a serious factor in races like this, among older elite trotters, in the future.

Kentucky River held on for the bronze medal after a trip outside of leading winner Önas Prince.

TOP HORSES COMPETE SATURDAY IN PARIS

Enghien in Paris hosts the $130,000 Prix de Washington, a mile race, on Saturday (July 12) and some really strong horses will show up in the French capital. Go On Boy, Hohneck and Hooker Berry are just some of the stars entering the track of Enghien and Go On Boy will be the probable favorite.

In Årjäng, Sweden, on the same day, the $100,000 Årjängs Stora Sprinterlopp is scheduled and Don Fanucci Zet will try to do the impossible, winning from post 8 behind the gate as he faces Gio Cash once again. Gio Cash won the $200,000 Norrbottens Stora Pris ahead of Don Fanucci Zet four weeks ago and the draw is advantageous for Daniel Wäjersten’s Gio Cash.