Fansided

Mongo Nation debuts at Saratoga for Mike Francesa

By Liz O'Connell

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 30: Christopher Mad Dog Russo(L) and Mike Francesa arrive at the 'Mike And The Mad Dog' Reunion at Radio City Music Hall on March 30, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 30: Christopher Mad Dog Russo(L) and Mike Francesa arrive at the 'Mike And The Mad Dog' Reunion at Radio City Music Hall on March 30, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images) /
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Members of WFAN sports talk host Mike Francesa’s “Mongo Nation” fan-base supported their namesake, a 2-year-old Speightstown colt making his first start at Saratoga Race Course Wednesday afternoon.

The early morning-line on Mike Francesa’s untried Mongo Nation was 12-to-1, at post time he went off at 3.6-to-1 and paid $4 for third in the $83,000 maiden special weight over five and one-half furlongs on the grass. Those lucky enough to pick the 4-7-1 trifecta earned $650 for their foresight.

Considering he started from Post No.1, Mongo Nation had a professional trip for a first-timer. He broke well from the gate, made his way up along the rail and kept pace with the front-runners.

Jockey Joe Bravo moved him out in the stretch and pressed him home for third. Trainer David Fawkes and Francesa must be pleased with this race, as the colt had a good learning experience and brought home $8,300 in purse money.

That’s enough to buy dinner tonight, a round of breakfast sandwiches and donuts for the crew at the barn tomorrow morning, and have some cash left over — even in a pricey burg like Saratoga.

Francesa, host of Mike’s On: Francesa on the FAN, is no newbie to horse racing. He buys young stock at the toney yearling sales. Last September, Francesa/JEH Racing ponied up $140,000 for the colt evenutally named Mongo Nation. Earlier this August, JEH Racing purchased a $40,000 New York-bred Mineshaft filly for $40,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred Sale.

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Known to take his radio show on location to Belmont Park to preview the Belmont Stakes, being the No. 1 sports radio host helps Francesa land racings’ biggest names. Todd Pletcher, Gary Stevens, D. Wayne Lucas, Bob Baffert, all chat up their horses and dish about racing on Francesa’s air time.

There’s conjecture about what Francesa’s going to do once his current contract with WFAN is up at the end of 2017. Will he reunite with Mad Dog? Stay where he is? Put together an indpendent live stream production? Who knows. My bet is whatever Mike Francesa does, there will be hoof beats in the background.

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