Multiple Stakes Winner Bango Headlines Saturday's Bet On Sunshine

Nov 03, 2021

Tamaroak Partners’ four-time stakes winner Bango tops a competitive field of eight older males that entered Saturday’s $300,000 Bet On Sunshine at Churchill Downs.

Run at six furlongs, the 13^th running of the Bet On Sunshine was carded as Race 10 of 11 at 7:20 p.m. (all times Eastern). Saturday’s first race is 1:45 p.m.

Trained by Greg Foley, Bango has recorded six of his eight lifetime wins beneath the Twin Spires. The homebred son of Congrats won the $110,000 Kelly’s Landing during the Spring Meet and most recently finished third in the $275,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society. Jockey Marcelino Pedroza Jr. has the mount from post position No. 4.

Also entered in the Bet On Sunshine is WSS Racing and 4 G Racing’s speedy six-time winner Mucho. Trained by John Ortiz and ridden by Reylu Gutierrez, Mucho won the $100,000 Challedon Stakes at Pimlico on July 31. The 5-year-old son of Blame was the third-place finisher last out in the $250,000 Phoenix (Grade II) at Keeneland. A former $80,000 claim for Ortiz, Mucho will break from post 8.

The complete field for the Bet On Sunshine from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Necker Island (Mitchell Murrill, Chris Hartman); Long Weekend (James Graham, Tom Amoss); Vertical Threat (Adam Beschizza, Richard Baltas); Bango (Pedroza, Foley); Rough Entry (Brian Hernandez Jr., Rohan Crichton); Atoka (Rafael Bejarano, D. Wayne Lukas); Sir Alfred James (John McKee, Lynn Cash); and Mucho (Gutierrez, Ortiz).

Churchill Downs will simulcast the Breeders’ Cup World Championships from Del Mar on Friday and Saturday.

The simulcast of the 10-race “Future Stars Friday” card from Del Mar will begin at 2:55 p.m. and the Breeders’ Cup will cover Races 6-10 (5:50-8:30 p.m.). Championship Saturday’s 12-race program at Del Mar will commence at 1:15 p.m. with the Breeders’ Cup on Races 4-12 (Breeders’ Cup starts at 3:05 p.m.). It will culminate with the $6 million Longines Classic (GI) at 8:40 p.m.