Spirit of St Louis continued the magical weekend for his sire, Medaglia d’Oro, with a thrilling, come from behind victory in the $1 million G1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on Saturday, 3 May.
It was the second G1 victory of the season for the six-year-old gelding, who captured the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park in January. The Turf Classic win improved the gelding’s record to 11-3-0 in 16 career starts.
The Turf Classic win was the third Graded Stakes win of the weekend for his sire, Medaglia d’Oro, who was represented by Good Cheer in the G1 Kentucky Oaks and Nitrogen in the G2 Edgewood Stakes.
Ridden perfectly by jockey Manny Franco, Spirit of St Louis broke cleanly from post 10 and raced near the rear of the 11-horse field, content to let first Mercante then Gigante set the pace. At the half-mile marker, it was Gigante in front, setting a tepid pace as the rest of the field began to bunch up heading into the far turn.
Swinging into the stretch, Spirit of St Louis swung wide and into the clear then prevailed in the frenetic five-horse scramble to the wire. At the end it was Spirit of St Louis by a length over Mercante, with the late closing Highway Robber (Hard Spun) taking third.
Bred in New York by Chester and Mary R. Broman, Spirit of St Louis is out of the Graded Stakes-winning mare, Khancord Kid (Lemon Drop Kid), and is a full brother to millionaire Bar of Gold, winner of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Bar of Gold has become a Stakes producer herself, as she is the dam of Graded Stakes winner and multiple Stakes-placed Coinage (G3 With Anticipation Stakes).
In addition to Spirit of St Louis, Medaglia d’Oro is also the sire of the undefeated Kentucky Oaks winner, Good Cheer; the three-time Graded Stakes winner, Nitrogen, and G3 Gazelle winner, Ballerina d’Oro.
Medaglia d’Oro is standing the 2025 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $75,000, stands and nurses.
