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The Pago Pago Stakes is a Group 2 event held at Rosehill Racecourse during the annual Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Worth $200,000 in prize money as of 2023, the 1200m sprint event is held in March on Coolmore Classic Day. The meeting is host to the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) as well as a number of Group 2 and 3 status support acts.

The Pago Pago Stakes is a set weights race for two year old colts and geldings and each horse is required to carry 55.5kg for the race. The event is also the final lead up race to the lucrative Group 1 $5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) held in one week’s time and as a result the Pago Pago Stakes winner is exempt from ballot for the Golden Slipper, which is the world’s richest race for two-year-olds. The Group 3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) for two-year-old fillies is the other Coolmore Classic Day race offering a Golden Slipper ballot exemption to the winner.

Stratum (2005) was the last horse to complete the Pago Pago Stakes – Golden Slipper double. A good lead-up to the first leg is the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) run a week earlier at Randwick and many of the runners in the Pago Pago Stakes field will come via that or the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) on Chipping Norton Stakes Day.

The Pago Pago Stakes 2023 ran on Saturday March 11, 2023 as a late Golden Slipper lead-up and was won in sharp fashion by the Chris Waller-trained Shinzo ($4.40). 

Pago Pago Stakes 2023
Date:	Saturday March 11, 2023
Track:	Rosehill Racecourse, Sydney
Distance:	1200m
Race Type:	2YO Colts & Geldings Set Weights 55.5kg
Status:	Group 3
Prize money:	$200,000

2023 Pago Pago Stakes Results

• 1st: #4 Shinzo ($4.40)
• 2nd: #2 Maharba
• 3rd: #5 Bases Loaded

The Chris Waller-trained Snitzel colt Shinzo ($4.40) was excellent third-up atoning for his last start Skyline Stakes loss when finishing sharply to post an arrogant win in the 2023 Pago Pago Stakes results and race his way into this year’s Golden Slipper field on March 18.

Click here to read more on the impressive late Pago Pago Stakes 2023 win by Shinzo.

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	4	SHINZO	Chris Waller	James McDonald		9	55.5kg		$4.40
	2	2	MAHARBA	Grahame Begg	Michael Dee	1.66L	1	55.5kg		$4F
	3	5	BASES LOADED	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark	1.74L	5	55.5kg		$6.50
	4	7	INTRODUCING	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Brett Prebble	1.82L	2	55.5kg		$6
	5	8	GODZILLA	Peter & Paul Snowden	Kerrin McEvoy	3.34L	7	55.5kg		$11
	6	11	GUSTOSISIMO	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	Regan Bayliss	4.24L	3	55.5kg		$17
	7	1	ZULFIQAR	James Cummings	Nash Rawiller	4.78L	8	55.5kg (cd 56kg)		$5
	8	12	IDHANA	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Chad Schofield	7.74L	6	55.5kg		$61
	9	13	LIMBURG	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Ryan Maloney	8.34L	10	55.5kg		$41
	10	10	BOLD AND BLAZEN	Ian Finn	Reece Jones (a)	8.94L	4	55.5kg		$151
		6	LEGOLAS	Bjorn Baker	Brock Ryan		0
		9	CAP FERRAT	Chris Waller	William Pike		0
		3	DISNECK	Bjorn Baker	Ms Rachel King		0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Pago Pago Stakes Betting Odds

The updated Pago Pago Stakes 2023 betting odds provided by Ladbrokes.com.au on the Golden Slipper Stakes hopefuls racing in the Group 3 the week prior to the Group 1 will be available below as soon as released.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2023 PAGO PAGO STAKES ODDS (Final Field)

2023 Pago Pago Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 PAGO PAGO STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Pago Pago Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Pago Pago Stakes 2023 Tips on the Golden Slipper lead-up event this autumn.

• To Win: #2 Maharba ($3.20 at time of publish) 

The money has steadily been rolling in for this Grahame Begg-trained son of Pride Of Dubai who has now firmed into favouritism. Was good fresh last start breaking his maiden status winning the Listed Talindert Stakes at Flemington. Returns to Sydney second-up and fitter for the run out to frank the form. His only other start was a strong debut at Rosehill last year when just 1.2 lengths back fourth to Barber in the Golden Gift. That form has been holding and can do so again here with the deserving favourite a big hope to salute for the punters up in grade.

2023 Pago Pago Stakes Field

The Pago Pago Stakes field attracts a line-up of smart young colts and geldings looking to make their way into the following Saturday’s Golden Slipper field back at Rosehill Racecourse.

The official 2023 Pago Pago Stakes field and barriers will be released on Wednesday March 8, 2023 and published in full below.

The Pago Pago Stakes 2023 final field features a strong line-up of Golden Slipper hopefuls led in betting by last start Talindert winner in Melbourne Maharba drawn the rails here.

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	15×10	ZULFIQAR	James Cummings	Nash Rawiller	9	55.5kg	56kg
2	4×1	MAHARBA	Grahame Begg	Michael Dee	1	55.5kg
3	815×5	DISNECK	Bjorn Baker	Ms Rachel King	7	55.5kg
4	32	SHINZO	Chris Waller	James McDonald	10	55.5kg
5	13	BASES LOADED	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark	5	55.5kg
6	9×31	LEGOLAS	Bjorn Baker	Brock Ryan	11	55.5kg
7	1	INTRODUCING	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Brett Prebble	2	55.5kg
8	3x	GODZILLA	Peter & Paul Snowden	Kerrin McEvoy	8	55.5kg
9	5	CAP FERRAT	Chris Waller	William Pike	12	55.5kg
10		BOLD AND BLAZEN	Ian Finn	Reece Jones (a)	4	55.5kg
11		GUSTOSISIMO	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	Regan Bayliss	3	55.5kg
12		IDHANA	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Chad Schofield	6	55.5kg
13		LIMBURG	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Ryan Maloney	13	55.5kg

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Pago Pago Stakes Nominations

Early nominations for the Pago Pago Stakes in 2023 close the Monday ahead of the event and will be updated below once released.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Ballot	Weight	True Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	11×19	BARBER	C	2	James Cummings	1	55.5kg
2	15×10	ZULFIQAR	C	2	James Cummings	2	55.5kg
3	4×1	MAHARBA	G	2	Grahame Begg	3	55.5kg
4	815×5	DISNECK	C	2	Bjorn Baker	4	55.5kg
5	32	SHINZO	C	2	Chris Waller	5	55.5kg
6	13	BASES LOADED	C	2	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	6	55.5kg
7	9×31	LEGOLAS	G	2	Bjorn Baker	7	55.5kg
8	1	INTRODUCING	C	2	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	8	55.5kg
9	4×326	MAKE A CALL	C	2	Peter & Paul Snowden	9	55.5kg
10	3x	GODZILLA	C	2	Peter & Paul Snowden	10	55.5kg
11	41	THE YEARS (NZ)	C	2	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	11	55.5kg
12	6	FIGHTERTOWN	C	2	Chris Waller	12	55.5kg
13	6	ALSONSO	C	2	Leon & Troy Corstens	13	55.5kg
14	5	CAP FERRAT	C	2	Chris Waller	14	55.5kg
15		ARCTIC LEGEND	C	2	Richard & Will Freedman	15=	55.5kg
16		BOLD AND BLAZEN	C	2	Ian Finn	15=	55.5kg
17		GUSTOSISIMO	C	2	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	15=	55.5kg
18		IDHANA	C	2	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	15=	55.5kg
19		LIBERTAD	C	2	Annabel Neasham	15=	55.5kg
20		LIMBURG	C	2	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	15=	55.5kg

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Pago Pago Stakes History

First won by Cheval De Volee in 1978, the Pago Pago Stakes has also been known as the Darley Stakes. Since its inauguration, Stratum has been the only horse to win the Pago Pago/Golden Slipper double in 2005 and he also holds the record for the fastest win with 1 minute 9.23 seconds. The slowest winning time was recorded in 1990 by Pagan Jest with 1 minute 15.01 seconds.

Notable recent Pago Pago Stakes winners include the Blue Diamond champion Written By (2018), All Too Hard (2012), Stratum (2005) and Danbird (2003).

See below for the full Pago Pago Stakes results dating back to 2000.

Pago Pago Stakes Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2023 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Shinzo	1 minute 10.56 seconds
	2nd	Maharba
	3rd	Bases Loaded
2022 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Rise Of The Masses	1 minute 13.16 seconds
	2nd	Sweet Ride
	3rd	Magic
2021 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Shaquero	1 minute 09.79 seconds
	2nd	Tiger Of Malay
	3rd	Mazu
2020 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Prague	1 minute 13.01 seconds
	2nd	Kumasi
	3rd	I Am Swerving
2019 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Cosmic Force	1 minute 12.93 seconds
	2nd	Born A Warrior
	3rd	Stronger
2018 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Written By	1 minute 10.22 seconds
	2nd	Sandbar
	3rd	Spin
2017 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Single Bullet	1 minute 12.46 seconds
	2nd	Ducimus
	3rd	Coruscate
2016 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Souchez	1 minute 10.4 seconds
	2nd	Chimboraa
	3rd	Mount Panorama
2015 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Tarquin	1 minute 11.5 seconds
	2nd	Rageese
	3rd	Odyssey Moon
2014 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Time For War	1 minute 12.8 seconds
	2nd	Kumaon
	3rd	Klammer
2013 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Sidestep	1 minute 10.5 seconds
	2nd	Dothraki
	3rd	Fuerza
2012 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	All Too Hard	1 minute 11.2 seconds
	2nd	Narcissus
	3rd	Limes
2011 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Salade	1 minute 11.5 seconds
	2nd	Boys On Tour
	3rd	Exceed And Exalt
2010 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Brightexpectations	1 minute 10.8 seconds
	2nd	Blackball
	3rd	Hinchinbrook
2009 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Tickets	1 minute 11.29 seconds
	2nd	New Day Rising
	3rd	Stryker
2008 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Sidereus	1 minute 11.87 seconds
	2nd	Over The Wicket
	3rd	Dubai To Sydney
2007 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Deferential	1 minute 10.50 seconds
	2nd	Cecconi
	3rd	Acey Ducey
2006 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Tarleton	1 minute 10.58 seconds
	2nd	Empires Choice
	3rd	Rubric
2005 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Stratum	1 minute 9.23 seconds
	2nd	Power Of Destiny
	3rd	Seidnazar
2004 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Genius And Evil	1 minute 10.12 seconds
	2nd	Fastnet Rock
	3rd	High Priority
2003 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Danbird	1 minute 10.21 seconds
	2nd	Hipwell
	3rd	Winestock
2002 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Planchet	1 minute 9.89 seconds
	2nd	Choisir
	3rd	Strictly Smart
2001 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	Red Hannigan	1 minutes 9.86 seconds
	2nd	Dash For Cash
	3rd	Shags
2000 Pago Pago Stakes	1st	De France	1 minute 11.51 seconds
	2nd	Ombra Della Sera
	3rd	Veteran