O Besos (outside) gets the best of his stablemate Bourbon Bash. (Coady Media/Churchill Downs)
Churchill Downs Update
LOUISVILLE, Ky.– Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry Stephens’ O Besos rallied from last in a field of five to post a 1 ¼-length victory over Bourbon Bash to win the third running of the $198,700 St. Matthews Overnight Stakes for 4-year-olds and up and deny stablemate Bango a record 12th Churchill Downs victory.
Trained by Greg Foley and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., O Besos completed the six furlongs on a fast track in a stakes-record 1:08.72.
Bango, winner of this race in 2023, and Surveillance dueled through an opening quarter-mile in :21.97 with Bourbon Bash third. On the far turn, Bourbon Bash joined the top two and took the lead at the top of the stretch with O Besos starting to launch a bid from fourth.
O Besos shot to the front at the eighth pole and drew clear for the victory.
O Besos returned $9.12, $4.56 and $4.12. Bourbon Bash, ridden by Keith Asmussen, returned $4.28 and $3.62 and finished 3 ¾ lengths in front of Surveillance, who paid $5.04 to show under James Graham.
It was another two lengths back to Bango with Necker Island finishing fifth.
St. Matthews Overnight Stakes Quotes
Irad Ortiz Jr. (jockey, O Besos, winner) – “They went pretty quick in front of me, but he traveled beautifully. He just ranged up to them and came home really good.”
Greg Foley (trainer, O Besos, winner and Bango, fourth as the favorite) – “I’m proud of the winner; he’s a good horse. I’m sorry my other horse (Bango) got beat today but he was away a long time and probably needed this. O Besos has had a bunch of tough beats throughout his career. It’s hard to believe, but this is his first stakes win. He went into this race really well. He was ready to run.” (O Besos ran fifth in the 2021 Kentucky Derby but was moved up to fourth with the disqualification of Medina Spirit).
Keith Asmussen (jockey, Bourbon Bash, second) – “Man, he broke so sharp and got away so easy, I just tried to keep him in the three path and comfortable. He jumped into the bit, and I tried to not slow him down. It was smooth sailing, we were movin’ and groovin’ at the three-sixteenths, and we got blown by.”
Tyler Gaffalione (jockey, Bango, fourth as the favorite) – “I wouldn’t count him out yet. Today just wasn’t his day. It was his first race back, and today was really warm, the big crowd. It just wasn’t our day, you know. He came back good, he came back happy, and he’ll live to fight another day. We’ll get ’em next time.”
