Spirit of St Louis swept past Jerry the Nipper in mid-stretch and pulled away late to post a one-and-a-quarter length victory in the $125,000 Ashley T. Cole Stakes at the Belmont at the Big A meet on Friday, 6 October.
It was the first Stakes victory for the four-year-old gelded son of Medaglia d’Oro, who has won four of six career starts, and has never finished worse than second.
Spirit of St Louis broke alertly out of the starting gate and was settled in mid-pack as Un Ojo and Jerry the Nipper battled for the lead. Jerry the Nipper took the lead on the far turn as Spirit of St Louis launched his rally while racing four-wide. At the top of the stretch, Jerry the Nipper had the lead, but Spirit of St Louis was flying on the outside and swept past his rival at the sixteenth pole, eventually drawing away for the win.
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).
Medaglia d’Oro has now sired 175 Stakes winners including 91 that have struck at Group or Graded level. They include Hong Kong’s two-time Horse of the Year, Golden Sixty, Australian G3 winner Kallos, and recent Stakes winners White Moonlight, Ticker Tape Home, Golden Canary and Monaasib.
