Turf or dirt, muddy or fast, it doesn’t matter as Spirit of St Louis proved once again as he rolled to his fifth straight Stakes victory in the $125,000 Hudson Valley Stakes on closing day of the Belmont at Big A meet on Sunday, 7 July.
Spirit of St Louis, a five-year-old gelded son of Medaglia d’Oro, posted his fifth straight Stakes victory, dating back to October 2023 and his win in the Ashley T. Cole Stakes. Altogether, Spirit of St Louis has won eight of his 10 starts and banked close to $600,000.
Off a step slowly out of the starting gate, Spirit of St Louis was forwardly placed by rider Manny Franco, tracking the leader, Itsallcomintogetha, from second while saving ground along the inside rail. Tipped to the outside on the backstretch, Spirit of St Louis continue to stalk Itsallcomintogetha into the far turn before accelerating past that rival to take the lead at the top of the stretch.
Spirit of St Louis then began to pull away in the stretch, crossing the wire to win by three lengths. Dakota Gold closed late to claim the place spot by a neck over Itsallcomintogetha.
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).
Spirit of St Louis became the second Stakes winner of the weekend for Medaglia d’Oro, joining the promising filly, Loved, who took the Mari Hulman George Memorial Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis the previous day. In addition to that duo, Medaglia d’Oro is also the represented by 2024 Stakes winners Delahaye (G3 Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes), Nash (Hot Spring Stakes), Our Pretty Woman (Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes) and Kallos, winner of the G2 Rubiton Stakes in Australia.
