Spirit of St Louis Secures Fifth Straight Stakes Victory at Belmont at the Big A
On the closing day of the Belmont at the Big A meet, the talented 5-year-old gelding Spirit of St Louis secured his fifth consecutive stakes victory with a powerful performance in the $125,000 Hudson Valley Stakes. Owned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Richard Schermerhorn, and trained by four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, Spirit of St Louis has now won 8 of his 10 career starts.
Ridden by jockey Manny Franco, who has been aboard the son of Medaglia d’Oro throughout his stakes winning streak, Spirit of St Louis exited the inside post and settled into an outside stalking position as Itsallcomintogetha led the field through an opening quarter-mile in 24.17 seconds.
“He is just a winning machine. He likes to run, and every time he gives you 110 percent,” said Franco. “I’m just happy to be on him right now and to get the W once again. He had a nice turn of foot, and every time you ask him for something, he’s there.”
Traveling comfortably in second, Spirit of St Louis waited patiently for his cue from Franco, engaging the leader through the final turn. Taking command in the stretch, the classy gelding crossed the finish line three lengths clear, stopping the clock in 1:35.83 for the one-mile inner turf test.
Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Spirit of St Louis is a full brother to their 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold. He was purchased for $280,000 at the 2023 Keeneland April horses-of-racing-age sale.
In the $125,000 Port Washington Stakes for older New York-bred fillies and mares, the Christophe Clément-trained Silver Skillet continued her stakes success with a dominant seven-length victory under Hall of Fame jockey Joel Rosario.
“It’s always nice to win, especially when you train for your friends,” said Clément after the race. “She’s doing well. She was much the best. It all worked out.”
The 4-year-old daughter of Liam’s Map, owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing and Steven Rocco, has now won 5 of her 14 career starts, including the off-the-turf edition of the Mount Vernon Stakes last month at Saratoga.
With the Belmont at the Big A spring-summer meet now complete, the New York racing circuit shifts its focus to the Saratoga Race Course for the highly anticipated summer season.
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