Tango Tango Tango Lands Historic American Derby
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Photo: Coady Photography
Tango Tango Tango wins the American Derby at Arlington International Racecourse
Tango Tango Tango , a Tourist colt who entered the race still a maiden, kicked away down the stretch to add his name to a historic list of winners of the $100,000 American Derby July 17 at Arlington International Racecourse.
Always close under jockey Declan Cannon, Tango Tango Tango edged clear through the final sixteenth and won by two lengths, finishing 1 1/16 miles on good turf in 1:43.58.
Accredit , a Flatter colt who won his previous start at Churchill Downs, was second, a neck in front of Red Hornet , a son of English Channel who was making just the second start of his career.
Tango Tango Tango ($19), bred in Kentucky by Frederick Wieting and racing for Calumet Farm, entered the American Derby winless after three starts. He finished third in an off-the-turf start at Keeneland April 21, sixth on the Churchill Downs dirt May 23, and second on the Ellis Park turf in his previous start June 27.
Saturday's race marked his first start with blinkers.
The victory was the first black-type stakes winner for his sire, who stands at WinStar Farm for $5,000.
"He's been progressing," said Cannon, who rode the colt in his first two races. "Anytime you ride for Calumet and (trainer) Jack Sisterson, you know you ride with confidence."
Cannon said he has been impressed with Tango Tango Tango's ability to handle any surface thrown at him.
"I really can't say what he'd prefer," the rider said. "Like I said, he's been progressing and I think whatever they put in front of him from here on out, he'll be able to handle it.
"They choose the races and I just steer them," he added.
Tango Tango Tango has earned $76,291 from a 1-1-1 record in four starts. Out of the Deputy Commander mare First Consul , he was purchased by Calumet for $35,000 from Castle Park Farm's consignment to the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Red Hornet's trainer, Keeneland-based Anna Meah, said she was thrilled with her gelding's performance and is looking forward to the Kentucky Downs meeting.
"I thought for a minute there, turning for home, that we were going to win it," said Meah, who won her first stakes race at Arlington just weeks earlier. "We're going to have a lot of fun with this one, I think."
Accredit, like Red Hornet, came from Kentucky to contest the American Derby. He won both his previous turf starts at Keeneland and Churchill Downs, coming up short on the Turfway Park all-weather and on a sloppy Churchill Downs strip.
With Arlington up for sale by its owner, Churchill Downs Inc., and facing likely demolition for redevelopment, Tango Tango Tango could be the final winner of one of America's most historic races.
The roster of previous winners includes such luminaries as Whirlaway, Citation, Native Dancer, Swaps, Round Table, and Damascus.