Mongo (horse)
| Mongo | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Royal Charger |
| Grandsire | Nearco |
| Dam | Accra |
| Damsire | Annapolis |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1959 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Marion duPont Scott |
| Owner | Marion duPont Scott |
| Trainer | Frank A. Bonsal |
| Record | 46: 22-10-4 |
| Earnings | $820,766 |
| Major wins | |
| Lexington Handicap(1962) Trenton Handicap(1962, 1964) United Nations Handicap(1962, 1963) Ventnor Turf Handicap(1962) Diamond State Handicap(1963, 1964) Washington, D.C. International Stakes(1963) John B. Campbell Handicap(1964) Monmouth Handicap(1964) Widener Handicap(1964) | |
| Awards | |
| American Champion Male Turf Horse(1963) | |
Mongo(1959–1983) was an AmericanChampionThoroughbredracehorsethat was most notable for his performances in turf races.
Background
[edit]He was bred and raced byMarion duPont Scott,a member of the prominentDu Pont family.His sire was imported British stallionRoyal Charger,a son ofNearco,whichThoroughbred Heritagesays was "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century".[1]Mongo's dam was Accra, Ms. Du Pont Scott's foundation mare, who produced at least seven other winners including the three-timeAmerican Champion Steeplechase HorseNeji.[2]
Racing career
[edit]Frank Bonsal,a formerjockeyinsteeplechaseracing, conditioned Mongo for racing. As a three-year-old in 1962, the colt won important races onturfunder jockeyCharlie Burr.He notably won theLexington Handicap,the first of two consecutive runnings of both theUnited Nations Handicapand theTrenton Handicap.The following year was Mongo's most successful. On November 11, he met the reigningAmerican Horse of the YearKelso,as well as challengers from France, Ireland, Hungary, Venezuela, and Russia in theWashington, D.C. International Stakes.The race evolved into a match between Mongo and Kelso throughout the last half-mile. On the line, Mongo prevailed by half a length, but his win was only confirmed after the track stewards rejected a claim of interference brought byIsmael Valenzuela,the rider of the runner-up.[3]As a result of his successes, Mongo was voted the 1963American Champion Male Turf Horse.
Mongo also raced successfully at age five. He defeated Kelso again to win the 1964Monmouth Handicap,defeated the outstanding runnerGun Bowin theJohn B. Campbell Handicap,and set a newMonmouth Parktrack record in winning the Trenton Handicap for the second time.
Stud career
[edit]Retired tostudat Blue Ridge Farm nearUpperville, Virginia,Mongo met with modest success. While none of his progeny met with his level of racing success, Mongo sired some good runners, including:
- Mongongo (1969) - winner of multiple stakes races including theSalvator Mile Handicap
- Bushongo (1971) - wonFlamingo Stakes
- Commadore C. (1976) -Long Branch Stakeswinner
- Mongo Queen (b. 1976) - wonSorority Stakes
Mongo died at age 24 on March 21, 1983, at Blue Ridge Farm.
Pedigree
[edit]| Sire Royal Charger(GB) 1942 |
Nearco(ITY) 1935 |
Pharos | Phalaris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scapa Flow | |||
| Nogara | Havresac | ||
| Catnip | |||
| Sun Princess (GB) 1937 |
Solario | Gainsborough | |
| Sun Worship | |||
| Mumtaz Begum | Blenheim | ||
| Mumtaz Mahal | |||
| Dam Accra (USA) 1941 |
Annapolis (USA) 1926 |
Man o'War | Fair Play |
| Mahubah | |||
| Panoply | Peter Pan | ||
| Inaugural | |||
| Ladala (USA) 1927 |
Ladkin | Fair Play | |
| Lading | |||
| Tonala | Broomstick | ||
| Polly Flinders (Family:21-a) |
References
[edit]- ^Anne Peters Thoroughbred Heritage."Pharos".Tbheritage.com.Retrieved2012-12-19.
- ^"Neji".Racingmuseum.org.Retrieved2012-12-19.
- ^"Mongo Outruns Kelso in International".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 12, 1963.Retrieved2012-12-19.
- ^"Mongo pedigree".equineline.com. 2012-05-08.Retrieved2013-01-02.