In a bounce-back performance, Spirit of St Louis rallied to win the $934,200 Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) May 3 at Churchill Downs, seizing the early season lead in the male turf division.
While Spirit of St Louis captured the first big turf prize of the North American season when he secured a narrow victory in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) in January at Gulfstream Park, he struggled a bit in his next step when fourth in the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T) March 22 on the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots turf.
That uncharacteristic outcome—Spirit of St Louis had finished first or second in 13 of his previous 14 starts before that race—on paper made the Turf Classic appear open for the taking but that would change in the 1:48.20 it took Spirit of St Louis to complete Saturday's 1 1/8-mile test for older horses on good turf. In a crowded Churchill winner's circle, the fourth-place finish at Fair Grounds had faded like a New Orleans hangover.
"Spirit of St Louis actually ran a fast number (speed figure) at New Orleans; he just had a wide trip the whole way. It's tough to win out there," said co-owner Sol Kumin. "But (jockey Manny Franco) did a good job today from a tough post; saving just a little ground early, giving him a great trip, and putting him in position. Then he showed that great turn of foot."
Starting from post 9 in the field of 10, Spirit of St Louis broke a step slow, then moved into the three path early as Mercante led through a quarter-mile in :23.97 as he entered off a victory in the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (G3) March 22 on the all-weather surface at Turfway Park. Gigante, who finished second in the Muniz, then went to the lead through a half-mile in :47.99 and six furlongs in 1:12.13 while Mercante shadowed.
Mercante cruised through the turn, re-emerged with the lead, and gamely clung to that advantage as six other rivals raced within a length of the son of Gun Runner . Spirit of St Louis had made up ground four wide in the far turn then fanned eight wide to find a clear path as he took command near the sixteenth pole on his way to a three-quarter-length win.
In a blanket finish from second to fifth place, Mercante courageously held second in his grade 1 debut while Highway Robber, also making his grade 1 debut, rallied for third. Spirit of St Louis' trainer Chad Brown credited Franco for adjusting after the slow start.
"The horse actually didn't break well, or wasn't standing well. I didn't quite get the whole story from Manny, but he wasn't as close as I thought he would be early," Brown said. "But Manny did a great job of just going to Plan B—save some ground on that first turn, and they all came back to him. I was confident he'd handle this off turf."
With the win, Kumin, Michael Dubb, and Richard Schermerhorn's Spirit of St Louis improves to 11-3-0 from 16 starts with earnings of $1,809,250. Earlier in the day, Kumin's Madaket Stables and Dubb won the American Turf Stakes (G1T) with Brown-trained Zulu Kingdom with partners William Strauss and Michael Caruso.
With the Turf Classic win Kumin moved within a victory of 100 grade 1-level wins as an owner. He credited Brown with bringing along the New York-bred son of Medaglia d'Oro , who secured six stakes wins before this season, with five coming against other New York-breds. Moved to the sport's highest level, he has responded with a pair of grade 1 scores in his first three starts at age 6 this year.
Brown, who secured his record-extending fifth Turf Classic, said improving speed figures encouraged him to try to New York-bred at the highest levels of the sport.
"His numbers were getting pretty fast and they fit with my other open-company horses," Brown said, noting he had a bad trip in his grade 1 debut when fifth in last year's Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland. "The one thing he surprised me with is how far he's running. But I've seen this in the past. When horses get older, they might lose a little bit of their speed, but they might run a bit further, especially on the grass."
In his most recent sale, Dubb went to $280,000 at the 2023 Keeneland April Horses of Racing Age Sale to purchase Spirit of St Louis out of the ELiTE consignment.
Bred by Chester and Mary Broman out of the graded stakes-winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Khancord Kid, Spirit of St Louis is a full brother to 2017 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Bar of Gold.
Medaglia d'Oro, who stands for $75,000 at Darley near Lexington, enjoyed a big weekend as his undefeated daughter Good Cheer won the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and another daughter, Nitrogen, won the Edgewood Stakes (G2T).
