Spirit of St Louis rallied from just off the pace and held off a late bid from City Man to win the $200,000 Mohawk Stakes by a half-length at Belmont at the Big A on Sunday, October 29.
The victory, which kicked off the Empire Showcase Day of Stakes races for New York-breds at the racecourse, marked the second straight Stakes win for the four-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding, who captured the Ashley T. Cole Stakes earlier this month.
Breaking alertly under jockey Manny Franco, Spirit of St Louis raced in second, content to set just off longshot Ruse, who led the field through the opening mile. As the field turned for home, Spirit of St Louis angled three-wide out to the center of the course and overhauled Ruse to take the lead. Spirit of St Louis dug in gamely to hold off the challenge from City Man in the stretch to win by a half-length.
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.
Medaglia d’Oro will stand the 2024 breeding season at Jonabell Farm in Kentucky for $75,000, stands and nurses.
