What is the Bango Stakes?
The Bango Stakes is a Grade III Thoroughbred race held annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Contested at 6½ furlongs on the dirt for horses aged three and older, it is one of the premier sprint tests on the Churchill Downs summer meet and a key benchmark for older sprinters targeting the summer championship circuit. The race was inaugurated in 2010 as the Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes and was named after Summerplace Farm's Kelly's Landing, who won the 2007 Dubai Golden Shaheen and was one of the most accomplished sprinters in North American racing during the mid-2000s. Upgraded to Grade III in 2025 and renamed the Bango Stakes in 2026 in honor of Churchill Downs' all-time winningest horse, Bango, who set the record with 12 career victories beneath the iconic Twin Spires for trainer Greg Foley. A son of Congrats bred and owned by Fred and Debbie Schwartz's Tamaroak Partners, Bango won this race in 2021 and 2023 and earned more than $1.6 million across a 42-race career.
When is the Bango Stakes in 2026?
The 2026 Bango Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, June 27 at Churchill Downs as part of Stephen Foster Day. Contested at 6½ furlongs on the dirt with a purse of $275,000, the race is the sprint complement to the Grade I Stephen Foster Stakes on one of the biggest racing days of the summer.
Bango Stakes History & Notable Winners
The Bango Stakes has quickly established itself as one of the top sprint events on the Churchill Downs summer calendar since earning graded status in 2025. Roll On Big Joe gave trainer Bob Hess Jr. and jockey Julien Leparoux a 2025 victory in 1:15.22 at 9-2 odds, collaring pacesetter Booth at the top of the stretch and turning back late runs from Dr. Venkman and Durante to win by three-quarters of a length. The two-time winner of the race's previous iteration as the Kelly's Landing was Bango himself, who won in 2021 under Tyler Gaffalione and again in 2023 at Ellis Park when the race was temporarily relocated due to Churchill Downs' spring meet fatalities. Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Aloha West dominated the 2022 edition at Churchill Downs, giving trainer Joe Sharp and jockey Jose Ortiz a Grade III prep victory before his historic fall campaign.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Roll On Big Joe | Julien Leparoux | 1:15.22 |
| 2024 | Closethegame Sugar | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 1:14.89 |
| 2023 | Bango | Tyler Gaffalione | 1:15.02* |
| 2022 | Aloha West | Joel Rosario | 1:15.44 |
| 2021 | Bango | Tyler Gaffalione | 1:21.25** |
* Run at Ellis Park. ** Run at 7 furlongs. Race formerly known as the Kelly's Landing Stakes, renamed the Bango Stakes in 2026.
The Bango Stakes is the premier sprint event of Churchill Downs' Stephen Foster Day and a tribute to one of the most beloved horses in the history of the iconic Louisville oval.
