Bango has now won three straight stakes races after a commanding five-length win in Saturday’s $75,000 Good Lord S. at Ellis Park.
The 4-year-old Congrats colt won both the Kelly’s Landing S. and Aristides S. during the recently concluded Churchill Downs meet. Saturday’s win pushed his lifetime earnings over the half-million dollar mark, to $505,197, with eight wins in 19 lifetime starts.
Bango was on the muscle right from the break of Saturday’s 6 1/2-furlong contest as he dueled with Sir Alfred James through a lightning quick half-mile in :44.96. Bango took over the lead in upper stretch and drew away at will to stop the timer in an excellent 1:14.63.
“Just turning for home, he started to put his ears up. I said, ‘Well I don’t want to relax too much.’ So I just tapped him on the shoulder, and he took off,” said winning rider Marcelino Pedroza. “He was more impressive than normal. Like Greg said, he loves Churchill, and it was good to see him win at another track like he did today.”
The winner races for his breeder Tamaroak Stable and is trained by Greg Foley. Out of the Smart Strike mare Josaka, Bango is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Eton Ridge.
Congrats is once again a top-10 sire of winners, currently with 89 individuals this year, ahead of sires such as Uncle Mo, Curlin and Goldencents.
