Medaglia d'Oro colt Imperia breaks his maiden in G3 Pilgrim Stakes

Well-bred Medaglia d'Oro two-year-old Imperia broke his maiden in style September 28 scoring in the G3 Pilgrim Stakes on the turf at Belmont Park.

The highly regarded colt was positioned in fifth inside on the hedge throughout most of the one-and-one-sixteenth-mile race. Sitting in sixth entering the stretch, Imperia routed to the outside and stormed down the stretch for a strong win in the final stages of the race.

Bred in Kentucky by Darley, Imperia is out of outstanding racemare Cocoa Beach, a winner of the G1 Beldame Stakes and G1 Matriarch Stakes, among others.

Imperia marks the 31st Graded or Group winner for sire Medaglia d'Oro, whose 11 G1 winners include Horse Of The Year Rachel Alexandra, another G1 Kentucky Oaks winner in Plum Pretty, and G1 CashCall Futurity winner Violence. 2014 continues to be an exciting year for the sire, as son Lochte captured the G1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap and Coffee Clique became the sire's second G1 Just A Game Stakes winner at Belmont. He has also been represented recently by promising colt Atreides, who stayed unbeaten as a 12-length winner of the Monarchos Stakes at Gulfstream in August.