Bango turned in the best race of his young career Saturday with a track record performance in the Animal Kingdom S. at Turfway Park.
Going back to sprinting after testing two turns in the LeComte S. (G3), the 3-year-old son of Congrats was stellar in the 6 1/2-furlong Animal Kingdom. A couple lengths off the pace for the first half-mile, which went in a blistering :43.71, Bango swooped past the pacesetters in upper stretch and drew off to win by 2 ½-lengths in 1:14.99.
“It was a little nerve-wracking when he was that close to the early pace,” winning trainer Greg Foley said. “They were flying up front but he won very impressively.
With the win, Bango upped his record to 3-1-1 in seven starts and has earned $181,077 for owner/breeder Tamaroak Partners. The Kentucky-bred is out of Josaka and is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Eton Ridge. Bango’s third dam Runup the Colors won the Alabama S. (G1) and is the dam of multiple graded winner Revolutionary.
As he is on an annual basis, Congrats is once again among the top 10 leading sires of winners nationally, with 40 to date. Bango is the 96th lifetime stakes horse for Congrats, who is standing the 2020 season at WinStar Farm for $10,000 live foal stands and nurses.
