Tejano Twist Denies Bango 12th Churchill Downs Win

Nov 04, 2023

Tejano Twist rallied from the back of the pack to shoot past odds-on 3-5 favorite Bango in deep stretch and win Saturday’s 15th running of the $300,000 Bet On Sunshine Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs by 1 ½ lengths over Miles Ahead. Bango finished another length back in third in his attempt to collect his record 12th Churchill Downs victory.

“He ran a good race just wasn’t good enough tonight,” said Bango’s trainer Greg Foley.

Tejano Twist, owned by Jackie Slawson’s JD Thoroughbreds and Joey Keith Davis, clocked six furlongs on a “fast” track in 1:09.27 under jockey Chris Landeros for trainer Chris Hartman.

The win was worth $178,800 and made Tejano Twist a millionaire. The 4-year-old’s record improved to 8-6-4 and $1,092,104 in 27 career starts. This marked his fourth career stakes win after earlier winning the $200,000 Lively Shively in 2021, the $250,000 Steel Valley Sprint in 2022 and $200,000 Whitmore (Grade III) earlier this year.

“He ran great,” Hartman said. “He’s had a really good year and this was a great addition to it.”

Sir Alfred James set the pace by leading the field of nine older horses through splits of :21.75 and :44.47 as Bango tracked from third and Tejano Twist relaxed behind the entire field. Bango made a three-wide move around the turn and went for the record as he grabbed the lead with a furlong to run. Tejano Twist, along with Miles Ahead, were rallying down the stretch and swept past the leader inside the final sixteenth of a mile.

“I’m really proud of how he ran tonight,” Landeros said. “He broke a little slow but they went pretty fast up front. Turning for home I was loaded and he really came home strong.”

Tejano Twist returned $11.36, $4.60 and $2.72 as the 9-2 second betting choice. Miles Ahead, at 5-1 under Joe Talamo, paid $6.70 and $2.98. Bango, ridden by Marcelino Pedroza Jr., returned $2.10 to show.

Necker Island, Sir Alfred James, Manny Wah, Empire of Gold, Exxel and Awesome Aaroncompleted the order of finish.

Tejano Twist is a gelded son of Practical Joke out the Cuvee mare Haley’s Lollypop. He was bred in Kentucky by Tom Durant.

BET ON SUNSHINE QUOTES

Chris Landeros (jockey, Tejano Twist, winner): “I’m really proud of how he ran tonight. He broke a little slow but they went pretty fast up front. Turning for home I was loaded and he really came home strong.”

Chris Hartman (trainer, Tejano Twist, winner): “He ran great. He’s had a really good year and this was a great addition to it.”

Greg Foley (trainer, Bango, third): “He ran a good race just wasn’t good enough tonight.”