Unbeaten Bago Works Hard for Paris Victory

Only three accepted the challenge of facing Bago in Sunday's Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-I) at Longchamp, but the undefeated colt had to work for his half-length victory over Irish-bred Cacique.

Bago, the 2-9 favorite as part of the Niarchos Family-owned entry with Kentucky-bred Alnitak, ran his unbeaten streak to six while completing the 1 1/4-mile test in 2:05.6 on good to soft going.

Ridden by Thierry Gillet, the top-rated European juvenile in 2003 was last early as John Gosden's Privy Seal set the pace. Turning into the final straight, Gary Stevens made his move with the Juddmonte-bred Cacique, getting the lead with three-sixteenths of a mile to go and opening up by a couple of lengths.

Gillet got busy on Bago at that point and finished in a full drive on the outside, getting the lead close to the wire. Alnitak was five lengths farther behind in third, followed by Privy Seal.

Jonathan Pease trains the Nashwan homebred colt for the Niarchos Family.