
The Chad Brown-trained Spirit of St Louis has spent far more time among New York-breds than in open company, but that might have to change after he upstaged Saturday’s $983,400 Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) at Gulfstream Park. Surging in the final yards for Tyler Gaffalione, the 7.90-1 shot edged Integration to earn his first graded victory.
There was no little irony in Gaffalione beating Integration. In last year’s Pegasus Turf, Integration went off as the 6-5 favorite with Gaffalione aboard, only to endure a tough trip and suffer his first loss in fifth.
Playing the role of beaten favorite on Saturday was Godolphin globetrotter Nations Pride, who was outkicked in ninth. The 1 1/8-mile distance is a bit on the sharp side for him, but that doesn’t explain the comprehensive nature of his defeat.
Spirit of St Louis was covered up in midpack behind a contentious pace. Up front, Formidable Man was pressed by Win for the Money through splits of :22.74, :46.20, and 1:09.29 on the firm course. Integration stalked in third, flanking Mi Hermano Ramon, and Nations Pride crept nearer on the inside to join them in the second flight. But Nations Pride failed to fire and ultimately faded.
Turning for home, Integration advanced to challenge on the outside and struck the front down the lane. Mi Hermano Ramon was trying to kick on amid foes, while Major Dude was also on the premises.
By that point, Spirit of St Louis had angled out into the clear, and the Medaglia d’Oro gelding quickened best of all in the final furlong. Collaring Integration in the shadow of the wire, he prevailed by a neck in a sparkling time of 1:44.50, just a whisker off the course record of 1:44.45 set by Warm Heart in the 2024 edition.
“The horse had been training super,” Brown said of Spirit of St Louis. “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 today. Tyler, just another brilliant ride.
“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 continued. “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.
“One of the many great moves in the race was Tyler on the turn when he sort of let a couple other horses go first and cleared his own path rather than try to go with him. He would have got jammed up if he went with them.”
Chasing the Crown, the 64-1 longest shot on the board, maneuvered through traffic to rally from last for third. Mi Hermano Ramon checked in fourth, followed by deep-closing Fort Washington, Major Dude, Win for the Money, Grand Sonata, Nations Pride, Balnikhov, Battle of Normandy, and Formidable Man. Siege of Boston scratched, making way for Fort Washington to draw into the field, while the second also-eligible, Paros, did not get in.
Spirit of St Louis, who returned $17.90, boosted his bankroll to $1,267,150 from a record of 14-10-3-0. His lone unplaced effort was a fifth in last fall’s Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland, hitherto his only graded attempt. Seven of his career wins have come in stakes. Last seen repeating in the Oct. 27 Mohawk S. on Empire Showcase Day, Spirit of St Louis also dismissed state-breds in last year’s Kingston S. and Hudson Valley S. as well as the 2023 Ashley T. Cole S. He set an Aqueduct course record when capturing the listed Danger’s Hour S. in 2024.
Bred by Chester and Mary R. Broman in the Empire State, Spirit of St Louis brought $300,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. The dark bay didn’t debut until he turned four, initially racing for Peter Brant. He was re-offered at the 2023 Keeneland April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, where Michael Dubb purchased him for $280,000. He soon developed into a stakes performer for Dubb and his partners, Madaket Stables and Richard Schermerhorn.
Spirit of St Louis is a full brother to 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) upsetter Bar of Gold, who is herself responsible for Grade 3 winner Coinage. Their dam, the Lemon Drop Kid mare Khancord Kid, scored her signature win in the 2010 Herecomesthebride (G3) over this course and distance. Other maternal relatives include Yankee Gentleman, Half Ours, and champion Shared Belief.