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Gladiatorus successful in the G1 Premio Vittorio di Capua at San Siro, Italy
©Stefano Grasso
GLADIATORUS (USA)
- Age: 5
- Colour: Bay
- Gender: Horse
- Sire: Silic (FR)
- Dam: Gmaasha (IRE)
- Trainer: Mahmood Al Zarooni
Gladiatorus won his first Group One race for Godolphin when an easy winner of the Premio Vittorio di Capua at San Siro in Italy on October 11, 2009. A multiple winner as a two-year-old when trained in Italy, Gladiatorus missed the whole of last season before regaining the winning thread in Dubai this year. The latest of his three wins there was in the Group One Dubai Duty Free in March before embarking on his European campaign with Godolphin. Following a disappointing start Gladiatorus showed he was on the way back with a solid fourth in Group One company in France last month and returned to his best in Italy. Soon taken to the lead by Ahmed Ajtebi he gradually forged clear to win unchallenged by four and a half lengths on the rain-softened ground over a mile in a time of 1m.28.0s.
Gladiatorus adopted his usual front running position in the 2009 Grade One Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on November 7 but was unable to follow-on from his victory in Italy. Pressed for the lead all the way, the hard work Gladiatorus had to do in the early part of the race took its toll and he dropped out in the straight to finish 9th of the 11 runners.