Bandua breaks track record in Arlington Handicap triumph

Bandua put in a track record breaking performance Saturday at Arlington International Racecourse when he won the Grade 3, $150,000 Arlington Handicap in a final time of 1:53.16.

Ten others lined up to face Bandua over the Arlington turf course going 1 3/16 miles on the Saturday feature.

Owned by Calumet Farm and trained by Jack Sisterson, Bandua broke well from post one and sat second behind the pace setting El Picaro, who went a first quarter mile in: 23.27.

Down the backstretch, the field began to string out as Bandua and El Picaro began to separate themselves from the others in a half-mile time of: 47.80.

At the top of the stretch, jockey Adam Beschizza drew alongside the longtime leader and ran right by to power home for a 1 ¾-length victory in a track record-breaking 1:53.16.

Bandua was exiting one of the most competitive turf races in North America this year in the Manhattan (G1) at Belmont Park.

“He’s a straightforward horse, he’s never shown a loss of heart and the class relief today helped him a lot,” said Beschizza, who had previously been on Bandua for five of his seven American races.

“Every race we’ve ran him in we’ve had a lot of confidence in him,” Sisterson said. “This horse was training unbelievably, he deserves this win.”

Bandua, who usually finds himself on or head-to-head for the lead, rated behind the leader today and had plenty left for the stretch drive.

“I said Adam, you ride him like you own him, and that’s what he did,” Sisterson said. “It was a picture-perfect ride.”

The Arlington Handicap was the first graded stakes victory for the son of The Factor and was his first win in North America.

Sisterson plans to aim Bandua for the Arlington Million (G1) on Aug. 10.

Bandua paid $5.20 for his winning effort. Second was The Great Day with Captivating Moon in third.