Mi Bago collects third stakes victory in Wednesday’s off-the-turf Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park. Coglianese Photo/Lauren King.
Gary Barber’s Mi Bago, already a stakes winner on grass and a winner on dirt in his debut, became a stakes winner on synthetic Wednesday in the $150,000 Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park.
Taken off the grass following overnight rain, the 1-mile Dania Beach also marked the second straight win for Mi Bago. Sent off as the 4-5 favorite in the field of seven off a win in the Pulpit Stakes November 29 at Gulfstream, Mi Bago won by three-quarters of a length over Hammerhead.
Edwin Gonzalez, aboard for winning trainer Mark Casse, kept it simple on the 3-year-old son of Vekoma.
“Nick [Tomlinson] didn’t give me too many instructions for the horse,” Gonzalez said of Casse’s assistant. “Today I break out of the gate, he put me right there. He was pulling my arm. He wanted to keep going. I wanted to keep him in a nice and relaxed position, and he finished good. He’s a really good horse.”
Barber and his team identified that quality after Mi Bago won his debut in a 5-furlong dirt maiden at Colonial Downs last August for owner CM Thoroughbreds and trainer Carlos Munoz. Barber purchased Mi Bago privately after that effort and moved him to Casse’s care. Mi Bago finished a non-threatening sixth in the Funny Cide Stakes on Saratoga Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course August 25 before moving to the grass to win the October 5 bet365 Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine.
Mi Bago missed out on the Breeders’ Cup after failing to draw into either the Grade 1 Juvenile Turf or Grade 1 Juvenile Turf Sprint. He finished fifth in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes on the Future Stars Friday undercard before returning to the East Coast to win the Pulpit.
Mi Bago led the field through splits of :24.23, :47.03 and 1:10.41 in his synthetic debut, putting away Hit That Review. Mi Bago opened up a 1 1/2-length advantage in midstretch and held off Hammerhead’s late run. Maui Strong finished third, with I Know I Know, Hit That Review, Nothingsubtle and Bucaro completing the field.
Mi Bago, who won the 1-mile and 70-yard test in 1:39.17, earned $91,140 for his lastest victory. He’s won four of six starts.
Bred by Highclere Inc. and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Mi Bago is the fifth winner produced by the unraced New York-bred Indian Charlie mare Wabanaki. She’s the dam of seven-time winner and $227,242-earner Lady Macho (by Mucho Macho Man) and winners What Mightavebeen (Freud), Dawnland (Jimmy Creed), Weyron (Goldencents) and Fast Chaz (Fast Anna). The latter graduated in his 13 start on the New Year’s Eve card at Turf Paradise.
A $62,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February mixed sale in 2023, Mi Bago was a $90,000 RNA later in the year at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.
