Volponi, the upset winner of the 2002 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), died Feb. 14 in Korea, where he had stood at stud, according to Korea Racing Authority online records. No cause of death was specified, which is standard for KRA obituary records. He was 27.
Trained and bred by Hall of Famer P.G. Johnson under the Johnson family stable name of Amherst Stable, Volponi became a four-time graded stakes winner for Amherst and co-owner Spruce Pond Stable. In addition to his Breeders' Cup Classic victory on dirt, he was adept at racing on grass. In one of his top turf races, he won the one-mile 2002 Poker Handicap (G3T) at Belmont Park in 1:32.24.
In prior years, he also captured the 2001 Pegasus Handicap (G2) on dirt and the 2000 Pilgrim Stakes (G3T) on grass.
The unquestionable highlight of his racing career came in the fall of 2002 in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Arlington Park where the 43-1 outsider defeated favored Medaglia d'Oro by 6 1/2 lengths under Jose Santos.
His victory at long odds contributed to the exposure of a betting scandal in which three individuals not affiliated with Volponi manipulated bets in the tote system during the Breeders' Cup program in an attempt to collect a massive Pick 6 payoff. The three all later pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire/computer fraud.
Volponi did not win the following season at age 5, but hit the board in seven consecutive races in 2003 before concluding his career with a 10th-place finish at Santa Anita Park in the 2003 Breeders' Cup Classic. A son of Cryptoclearance out of the Sir Harry Lewis mare Prom Knight, he was retired from racing with 7-12-5 record in 31 starts with earnings of $3,187,232.
Along such top stakes horses as Quiet Little Table, Amen II, Match the Hatch, Maplejinsky, and Kiri's Clown, Volponi was among the top horses trained by Johnson, who died in 2004.
Volponi gained his name after Johnson was honored with a Volponi Award from turf writer and BloodHorse contributor Paul Volponi, who desired to spotlight the trainer's success.
Volponi stood two seasons at stud at Hopewell Farm in Midway, Ky., for a $10,000 fee, with 56 foals in his first crop. In late 2005, the KRA purchased him and relocated him to Jeju Stud and Training Farm.
The stallion became one of the leaders in Korea before being pensioned in 2018, according to Paulick Report, which first reported his death.
