Mi Bago, a 2-year-old son of Vekoma bred by Highclere, rolls late to win bet365 Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine. Michael Burns Photo.
The change in scenery and change in surface was just what the doctor ordered for Mi Bago Saturday, as the 2-year-old son of Vekoma stormed home to win the $175,000 bet365 Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine.
Mi Bago, bred by Highclere Inc., led a 1-2-3 finish for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, who saddled five horses in the race. Casse finished second with Dare to Breeze and third Sharedashenanigans.
Out of the Indian Charlie mare Wabanaki, Mi Bago was fifth early, in a group of three chasing frontrunners Mensa and Dare to Breeze through a quarter-mile in :21.89. Those two still led as they turned for home, with Mi Bago and Sharedashenanigans in hot pursuit. Dare to Breeze took the lead inside the eighth pole and looked like a winner, until Mi Bago unleashed a furious drive to get up and win by a neck.
The final time was :57.89 for the 5-furlong stakes. Bullet nailed Sharedashenanigans for third.
“I look at the program and see what horses have a lot of speed,” said winning jockey Sahin Civaci. “I just tried to get my horse out as fast as possible. … He had a little trouble getting around the turn, so I had to ask him a little bit there. And I just got up.”
Mi Bago is the fifth winner produced by the unraced New York-bred Wabanaki, joining seven-time winner Lady Macho (by Mucho Macho Man), What Mightavebeen (Freud), Dawnland (Jimmy Creed) and Weyron (Goldencents). A $62,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February mixed sale in 2023, he was a $90,000 RNA later in the year at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.
After he broke his maiden impressively as a 3-5 favorite at Colonial Downs August 1, Mi Bago was sold by CM Thoroughbreds to Gary Barber, who moved him to his main trainer Casse. Mi Bago was a non-threatening sixth in the Funny Cide Stakes on Saratoga Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course August 25, prompting Casse to bring him north for the turf stakes at Woodbine. – Paul Halloran
