Mongo (1959-March 21, 1983) was an American

Champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, Competition, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional/provincial/state, national, continental and world champi ...

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

that was most notable for his performances in turf races.

Background

He was bred and raced by

Marion duPont Scott Marion duPont Scott (May 3, 1894 – September 4, 1983) was a thoroughbred horsebreeder who operated a racing stable for both flat and steeplechase racing. She was the last private owner of Montpelier, the mansion and land estate of former Unit ...

, a member of the prominent

Du Pont family The du Pont family () or Du Pont family is a prominent family descended from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739–1817), a French minor aristocrat. Currently residing in the U.S. states of Delaware and Pennsylvania, the Du Ponts have been ...

. His sire was imported British stallion

Royal Charger Royal Charger (1942–26 November 1961) was a British Thoroughbred that was successful as a horse racing, racehorse, but much more important as a Horse breeding#Terminology, sire. Background Royal Charger was a chestnut horse sired by the import ...

, a son of

Nearco Nearco (January 24, 1935 – June 27, 1957) was an Italian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by '' Thoroughbred Heritage'' as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He ...

, which ''

Thoroughbred Heritage The National Sporting Library & Museum or NSLM (formerly the National Sporting Library) is a research library and art museum in Middleburg, Virginia, in the United States. History The National Sporting Library was founded in 1954 in the person ...

'' says was "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century". Mongo's dam was Accra, Ms. Du Pont Scott's foundation mare, who produced at least seven other winners including the three-time

American Champion Steeplechase Horse The American Champion Steeplechase Horse is an United States, American horse racing honor awarded as part of the Eclipse Award program since its inception in 1971. It is awarded annually to the top horse in Steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechas ...

Neji.

Racing career

Frank Bonsal, a former

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

steeplechase SteepleChase Records is a jazz record company and label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. SteepleChase was founded in 1972 by Nils Winther, who was a student at Copenhagen University at the time. He began recording concerts at Jazzhus Montmartre, ...

racing, conditioned Mongo for racing. As a three-year-old in 1962, the colt won important races on

turf Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses. In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...

under jockey

Charlie Burr Charles E. "Charlie" Burr (May 14, 1934 – September 16, 2008) was an American National Champion Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. In 1951, he became the seventh jockey in American Thoroughbred racing history to ride 300 or more winners in a sing ...

. He notably won the Lexington Handicap, the first of two consecutive runnings of both the

United Nations Handicap The United Nations Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older run over a distance of one and three-eighth miles on the turf held annually in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The even ...

and the

Trenton Handicap The Trenton Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Garden State Park Racetrack in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Open to horses age three and older, the race was contested on dirt at various distances during its tenure: * miles ...

. The following year was Mongo's most successful. On November 11, he met the reigning

American Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, or simply Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to san ...

Kelso, as well as challengers from France, Ireland, Hungary, Venezuela, and Russia in the Washington, 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 by

Ismael Valenzuela Ismael Valenzuela (December 25, 1934 – September 2, 2009) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He was one of 22 children born to parents who had immigrated to the United States. Shortly after Valenzuela's birth, the family return ...

, the rider of the runner-up. As a result of his successes, Mongo was voted the 1963

American Champion Male Turf Horse The American Champion Male Turf Horse award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor. The award originated in 1953 when the ''Daily Racing Form'' (DRF) named Iceberg II their champion. The Thoroughbred Racing Association (TRA) added the cat ...

. Mongo also raced successfully at age five. He defeated Kelso again to win the 1964

Monmouth Handicap The Philip H. Iselin Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Open to horses three years of age and older, the race was first run in 1884. In 1891, New Jersey state legislator ...

, defeated the outstanding runner

Gun Bow Gun Bow (1960 – December 1979) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of America's leading older male racehorses in 1964 and 1965 and was later inducted into the Hall of Fame. Gun Bow was noted for his rivalry with five-time Ame ...

in the John B. Campbell Handicap, and set a new

Monmouth Park Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease ...

track record in winning the Trenton Handicap for the second time.

Stud career

Retired to

stud Stud may refer to: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco * ...

at Blue Ridge Farm near

Upperville, Virginia Upperville is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C. and near the Loudoun County line. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was origi ...

, 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 the

Salvator Mile Handicap The Salvator Mile Stakes (formerly the Salvator Mile Handicap) is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in June or July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt at ...

* Bushongo (1971) - won

Flamingo Stakes The Flamingo Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of a mile and one-eighth. Run as the Florida Derby until 1937, the inaugural event took place at Tampa Downs on February 27, 1926. There was ...

* Commadore C. (1976) -

Long Branch Stakes The Long Branch Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Open to three-year-olds, it is contested on dirt over a distance of miles (8.5 furlongs). It is generally viewed as a ...

winner * Mongo Queen (b. 1976) - won

Sorority Stakes The Sorority Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first week of September at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Open to two-year-old fillies, it is contested on dirt over a distance of six furlongs. ...

Mongo died at age 24 on March 21, 1983, at Blue Ridge Farm.

Pedigree

References

{{reflist 1959 racehorse births 1983 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Virginia Racehorses trained in the United States Du Pont racehorses American Champion racehorses Thoroughbred family 21-a