Spirit of St Louis joins elite company as the latest New York-bred Grade 1 winner and millionaire in Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup Turf. Coglianese Photo/Ryan Thompson.
Chad Brown sent Spirit of St Louis to Kentucky last fall convinced the New York-bred gelding could not only fit in but potentially win a Grade 1.
That didn’t work out for the son Medaglia d’Oro, who endured a troubled trip and finished fifth behind his accomplished stablemate Carl Spackler and eventual Breeders’ Cup Mile winner More Than Looks in the Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes at Keeneland. Brown didn’t throw in the towel and gave Spirit of St Louis another try at the top level and this time came away with a victory in Saturday’s $984,000 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes presented by Qatar Racing at Gulfstream Park.
Under Tyler Gaffalione, Spirit of St Louis won the 9-furlong Pegasus Turf by a neck over Integration for Brown and owners Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Richard Schermerhorn. He won in 1:44.45, just off the course record, passed the $1 million mark and became the 88th New York-bred Grade 1 winner to the delight of his connections.
“The horse had been training super,” Brown said. “I’m just fortunate the horse got in the race because without a lot of graded stuff next to him and no graded wins, he could have easily gotten excluded. I’m happy he was in the race and he fired. Tyler, just another brilliant ride.”
Pegged at 20-1 on the morning line against a field that included Grade 1 winners Nations Pride, Formidable Man and Win for the Money, Spirit of St Louis came into the Pegasus Turf off an almost three-month freshening following a victory in the Mohawk Stakes on Empire Showcase Day in late October at Aqueduct.
Horseplayers bet Spirit of St Louis down to just under 8-1 and the fifth choice in the field of 12.
Spirit of St Louis bumped 5-2 favorite Nations Pride at the start then settled into midpack under Gaffalione. Formidable Man, winner of the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, set the pace from his inside draw and clicked off strong early splits of :22.74 and :46.20 over the firm turf. Formidable Man still led by a half-length through 6 furlongs in 1:09.29 as the field started to bunch up around the far turn approaching the stretch.
“I loved where he was, but the fact that he found himself between horses down the backside, I’d rather either be on the rail or two deep,” Brown said. “Right in between two horses can get a little tight at times, so I was mildly concerned. I loved where he was in relation to the leader and the pace, but I didn’t know how he was going to track from there.”
Integration made his run at the quarter pole and took command in the lane, ahead of Win for the Money, Mi Hermano, Major Dude and a retreating Formidable Man.
Gaffalione kept Spirit of St Louis toward the center of the course through the lane, picked off rivals in the stretch and edged Integration at the finish. The winning time was just off Warm Heart’s victorious 1:44.45 in last year’s Pegasus World Cup Turf. Chasing Crown, the longest shot on the board at 64-1, finished 1 1/4 lengths back in third.
Gaffalione, second in the Championship Meet rider standings with 35 victories, loved his trip and was thankful to watch the competition throughout.
“I needed to keep an eye on them all around me, especially when William [Buick aboard Nations Pride] went up the fence and gave me a good target,” he said. “I just kind of waited for my spot and coming into the stretch I was able to work my way out and the horse did the rest.
“I’m so happy for the connections and thankful for the opportunity. It’s incredible. This is home for me and it’s good to see so many friendly faces and it’s good to be back in the winner’s circle.”
A full brother to New York-bred Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold, Spirit of St Louis improved to 10-for-14 with three seconds and picked up $498,000 to push his bankroll to $1,267,150. That total puts him just outside the top 40 all-time leading New York-bred earners.
Bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Spirit of St Louis is also a half brother to stakes-placed New York-breds Land Mine and Homeland. Khancord Kid, a Grade 3 winner, has produced five winners. She’s also the dam of a 2-year-old full brother to Spirit of St Louis.
The Bromans bought Khancord Kid’s dam, Confidently, in 2000 for $1 million at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Out of Grade 1 winner Key Phrase, Confidently is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Yankee Gentleman with her dam a half-sister to the dam of champion Shared Belief.
Spirit of St Louis, a $300,000 purchase by BSW/Crow out of the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale, made his first two starts for owner Peter Brant and Brown. He won his debut on the dirt in mid-February 2023 before a second in a 9-furlong allowance on the dirt, both at Aqueduct. Dubb purchased Spirit of St Louis for $280,000 shortly after that effort, at the Keeneland April horses of racing age sale. He’s won nine of 12 since, including a run of five straight stakes from late 2023 to the summer of 2024.
Brown, who picked up his fifth Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding trainer Thursday, won his fourth race of the meet and was quick to credit his rider.
“Honestly, I haven’t had a good meet here,” Brown said. “Tyler’s ridden a bunch of them, and I don’t think I’ve had one bad trip. Tyler’s just been in the right spot at every pole in every race, at least for my horses that I’ve watched. Just phenomenal riding. He’s in career form. Just so happy for the partners that are here today. It’s just a great day here at Gulfstream.”
