Bango, currently tied with Ready’s Rocket for the all-time wins record at Churchill Downs with 11 victories, is set to make history on Friday. The seasoned sprinter will compete against a small group of four challengers in a conditioned allowance race, seeking to claim the record outright.
Trained by Greg Foley for Tamaroak Partners, Bango has been looking for a return to the winner’s circle since his triumph in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes at Churchill Downs last year. This race marks his third outing in the 7-year-old season, following unsatisfactory results in both the St. Matthews Stakes and Kelly’s Landing Stakes earlier in the spring meet.
“His morning workouts have demonstrated that he still trains with the same vigour he had at his peak,” Foley remarked. “He had an excellent workout on Saturday — half a mile in 46 seconds, and five furlongs in 58.3 seconds. He was moving beautifully. We’re hopeful that the old champion can get back on track and secure the record.”
An offspring of Congrats, Bango boasts an impressive overall record of 37: 14-4-4. His notable achievements include 11 wins at Churchill Downs and earnings exceeding $1.2 million, along with an additional $500,000 from races at other venues.
Scheduled as race 3 at 1:43 p.m. EDT, Friday’s allowance race kicks off at 12:45 p.m. The competition includes Angkor, who recently finished third in the Forego Stakes (G1) and is the morning-line favourite at 8-5. Bango is listed as the 2-1 second choice and will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, the leading jockey for the September meeting.