Bingo! Bango splashes way to record with 12th CD win
Churchill Downs press release by Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media photo of Bango earning a record-breaking 12th victory at the track)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, Sept. 27, 2024) – Bango etched his name into the record books Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs, becoming the track’s all-time winningest horse with a resounding 12th victory beneath the historic Twin Spires. The veteran 7-year-old, owned by Tamaroak Partners and trained by Greg Foley, splashed to the milestone win in Race 3 over a sloppy main track with jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard.
Bango now holds the historic record after a remarkable five-year career running primarily at Churchill Downs. His first win came as a 2-year-old on Nov. 2, 2019 and Friday’s victory marked his 24th race at the track and 38th overall. The homebred has now amassed more than $1.6 million in career earnings.
“It’s a really special day for all of us,” Foley said. “I can’t congratulate owners Fred and Debbie Schwartz enough for accomplishing this feat with Bango. He’s got the all-time winningest record here at Churchill Downs and that’s such a special meaning. He loves it here, as we all know. He really wasn’t himself this spring but the past three or four weeks he’s been phenomenal. He’s back.”
Bango’s 12 wins at Churchill Downs include multiple stakes races, such as the 2021 and 2023 editions of the Kelly’s Landing Stakes, the 2021 and 2022 Aristides Stakes, the 2022 Bet On Sunshine Stakes and the 2023 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes where he tied former all-time win leader Ready’s Rocket.
Foley indicated that Bango will stay in training and could make his next start at the Churchill Downs Fall Meet.
