The top Italian trotter Zacon Gio, with Roberto Vecchione in the bike, was favored in the prestigious Gran Premio Gaetano Turilli at the Capannelle track in Rome, Italy, on Tuesday evening (June 29), but had to settle for second place.

Zacon Gio, who in 2019 won the International Trot at Yonkers, was in command from the start but was challenged for the lead by Alrajah One with Alessandro Gocciadoro.

When Alrajah One tired, it looked as though Zacon Gio would go on to win, but with a late burst outsider Amon You SM with Vincenzo Piscuoglio Dell’Annunziata managed to go by Zacon Gio and won by a half-length, timed in 1:57.3f (mile rate).

The purse for the winner was 76,500 Euro.

The next race for Zacon Gio is scheduled to be the St Michel Race in Finland on July 18, where he will meet the French super trotter Face Time Bourbon. That will be the third time the two top trotters will meet, and between them, Zacon Gio is leading by 2-0.

Another Group 1 race took place in Rome yesterday, the Grand Premio Tino Triossi for 4-year-old trotters. Bengurion Jet (sired by Maharajah) has improved quite a lot this year and was again an easy winner for trainer/driver Alessandro Gocciadoro. Bengurion Jet was timed in 1:57.1f (mile rate) and got the winner’s purse of $76,500.