O Besos rallies to take St. Matthews, denies stablemate Bango of Churchill record

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The popular Bango will have to wait another day for his next Churchill Downs victory, but trainer Greg Foley was in the winner's circle.

O Besos, another longtime stalwart in Foley's barn, ran down the pacesetters, including his stablemate, for a win in the $200,000 St. Matthews Overnight Stakes on Thursday at Churchill Downs.

"He's been a special horse to us also," Foley said.

Remarkably, this was the first stakes victory for O Besos ($9.12), a popular campaigner who has appeared in many major events for Foley and the ownership partnership of Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Terry Stephens. In the 2021 Kentucky Derby, O Besos crossed the line fifth but was later promoted to fourth due to Medina Spirit's disqualification. The 6-year-old has re-invented himself as a late-running sprinter, having placed in four stakes races.

"He's had some tough beats in a lot of big races," Foley said.

Making his 2024 debut in the St. Matthews, O Besos broke well under Irad Ortiz, Jr., but didn't dispute the issue and dropped back to last of five in the early going. Surveillance set the early pace with Bango, moving easily alongside him, and Bourbon Bash pressing those two on the outside through an opening quarter of 21.97 seconds on a fast track on a hot spring day.

The top three stacked up around the far turn, and Bourbon Bash tried to get away, shooting out to a length lead. Bango gamely battled back between horses, and was still in contention in midstretch. But O Besos appeared on the scene full of run in the final furlong and edged clear to win by 1 1/4 lengths, going away.

He stopped the clock in 1:08.72 for the six furlongs.

Bourbon Bash held second by 3 3/4 lengths over Surveillance. It was another two lengths to Bango in fourth, with Necker Island bringing up the rear.

"Hopefully just needed the race," Foley said of Bango, a 7-year-old homebred for Tamaroak Stable who was also making his seasonal debut. "He went into it awful good. They were up there battling on the front end, and maybe even set it up a little bit for O Besos."

Bango, who was the defending St. Matthews winner, is tied with Ready's Rocket, who raced from 2005-12, for the modern-day win record at Churchill Downs, with 11 wins apiece.

One race prior, younger sprinters put their names forward on the big stage in the $250,000 Kentucky Juvenile, the first stakes race of the year for the division. West Memorial ($37.88) charged through the lane for the win, breaking her maiden in the five-furlong race.

"She did everything so good," an ebullient jockey Reylu Gutierrez said. "I'm so proud of her. Filly against the boys, that’s never easy."

West Memorial, from the first crop of Caracaro, had been second by a head in her debut April 7 at Keeneland after dueling inside through the 4 1/2 furlongs. On Thursday, she sat in third off the early pace. Shoot It True, the fastest 2-year-old winner at Keeneland, broke well after being extremely fractious in the gate, and led Mensa, a Gulfstream debut winner who was a $740,000 purchase earlier this week, through a snappy opening quarter of 21.91.

As they turned into the stretch, Shoot It True shook off Mensa to open up a two-length lead. But West Memorial, who had gotten a perfect trip, easily had their measure, powering by in deep stretch. She finished 1 3/4 lengths clear of Strummin, who closed from fourth in the stretch past the fading leaders. It was another two lengths to Akinmusire in third, followed by Shoot it True, Tuxedo Park, Mensa, Turnbuckle, and Jet Sweep Joe.

The time for the five furlongs was 58.29.

West Memorial, trained by John Hancock, races for the Swinbank Stables of Reagan Swinbank, a Houstonian who is also a partner in Black Type Thoroughbreds. The filly runs in Swinbank's colors with an emblem of Texas on them, and Gutierrez donned a cowboy hat as he came to the winner's circle.

"From the first time I worked her, I felt she was special," Gutierrez said. "The credit goes to Mr. Hancock for having them ready."

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