Bago (horse)

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Bago
"Bago" winning the 2004 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Sire:	Nashwan
Grandsire:	Blushing Groom
Dam:	Moonlight's Box
Damsire:	Nureyev
Sex:	Stallion
Foaled:	2001
Country:	France
Colour:	Dark Bay
Breeder:	Niarchos family
Owner:	Niarchos family
Trainer:	Jonathan Pease
Record:	16: 8-1-5
Earnings:	$2,715,153
Major Racing Wins & Honours & Awards
Major Racing Wins
Critérium de Saint-Cloud (2003) Prix Jean Prat (2004) Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2004) Prix Ganay (2005)
Racing Awards
European Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt (2004)
Infobox last updated on: December 15, 2006.

Bago (born February 3, 2001 in France) was the European Three-Year-Old Champion Thoroughbred race horse in 2004. Bred by the Niarchos family, Bago is best known for winning the 2004 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe amongst his five Group One successes.

Bago's dam Moonlight's Box, a daughter of the Champion Sire Nureyev, who also sired Miesque the dual Breeders' Cup winner, she in turn is out of Group 1 winning Coup de Genie a full sister to Machiavellian. Bago's sire Nashwan a horse who in 1989 achieved that which no other horse has yet achieved, winning the 2000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby, the Eclipse and the King George VI in one season.

Trained by Chantilly based Englishman Jonathan Pease, also renowned for being the mentor of many top class horses including Tikkanen, Spinning World, Act One etc, Bago was ridden during his entire career by top French jockey Thierry Gillet. Bago won all four starts as a two-year-old, including the Critérium de Saint-Cloud by six lengths.

Sadly for Bago, in 2004 he was hit by a virus that kept him off the track all spring and took him out of contention for the spring classics, however his return to Chantilly saw him win the Prix Jean Prat over nine furlongs, then to Longchamp for the Grand Prix de Paris. Following a third place finish to another Niarchos family bred Prix du Jockey Club winner Sulamani at York in the Juddmonte International he ended his three year old career in brilliant style with his thrilling win in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. In an amazing run, Bago stormed past his rivals in the home straight and beat Cherry Mix on the finishing line. This led to Bago being voted Cartier Three-Year-Old Champion Colt and earning the comment from this trainer, Jonathan Pease, that he 'was the best horse that he had ever trained'.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005 Bago only achieved one win out of his seven starts, however all his races were at the very highest level; they included racing in Ireland, Great Britain, the United States and Japan, as well as 3rd in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a 2nd in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh and a 3rd in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Newbury, 4th in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Belmont. In the Japan Cup he received a severe cut and the right hind shoe was torn off during the race which explained his first performance ever out of the first four in a total of 16 race career starts. Bago was tough and consistent at the top level of international racing and capable of an impressive turn of foot, which is unique to top class thoroughbreds like him.

Bago has been retired from racing and will start his first season at stud in Japan in 2006.

Pedigree of Bago

Sire Nashwan	Blushing Groom	Red God	Nasrullah
			Spring Run
		Runaway Bride	Wild Risk
			Aimée
	Height of Fashion	Bustino	Busted
			Ship Yard
		Highclere	Queen's Hussar
			Highlight
Dam Moonlight's Box	Nureyev	Northern Dancer	Nearctic
			Natalma
		Special	Forli
			Thong
	Coup de Genie	Mr. Prospector	Raise a Native
			Gold Digger
		Coup de Folie	Halo
			Raise the Standard

[edit] References

• Bago's pedigree and racing stats