Spirit of St Louis Surges to Victory in Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic

Spirit of St Louis delivered a powerful late surge to capture the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs this past Saturday, May 3, 2025.

The six-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding, ridden by Manny Franco and trained by Chad Brown, overcame a slow start and navigated a wide trip to secure his second Grade 1 victory of the year.

The race, run over a mile and an eighth on a turf course rated “good,” saw a crowded field battle for position. Initially, Redistricting (GB) and Mercante were prominent, with Gigante eventually taking the lead through fractions of :23.97 for the quarter-mile, :47.99 for the half-mile, and 1:12.13 for six furlongs.

As the field turned for home, Mercante regained the lead. However, Franco had Spirit of St Louis making a determined run on the outside.

Despite breaking a step slow and racing near the back of the pack early, Spirit of St Louis found clear running room in the stretch. He charged down the center of the track, took command near the sixteenth pole, and ultimately won by three-quarters of a length in a final time of 1:48.20.

Mercante held on gamely for second place, with Highway Robber finishing third in a tight contest for the minor placings. Gold Phoenix (IRE) rallied from last to finish fourth, followed by Running Bee. Redistricting (GB), Integration, Cameo Performance, Gigante, and Taking Candy completed the order of finish.

Scratched Horse(s): Brilliant Berti (Stakes Scratch), Idratherbeblessed (Stakes Scratch)

Jockey Manny Franco praised his mount’s effort, noting, “I was so happy in the last 200 yards because I thought I made the right move. There were a lot of horses back in the same spot and I never had to stop and that was the key.”  

Trainer Chad Brown, who secured his fifth victory in the Turf Classic, was also pleased with the performance. “He was standing flat-footed and he didn’t break all that well,” Brown said. “But Manny (Franco) did a good job of saving ground with him in the first turn and then got him running late. I was confident today with this horse because he does real well on soft turf.”  

The win marked Spirit of St Louis’s 11th victory in 16 career starts and boosted his earnings to $1,809,250. Bred in New York by Chester and Mary Broman, the gelding is owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, and Richard Schermerhorn.

This victory further solidifies his position at the top of the North American male turf division, adding to his earlier triumph in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.

Fractional Times: 23.97, 47.99, 1:12.13, 1:36.23
Final Time: 1:48.20

Winning Connections

Winner: Spirit of St Louis
Jockey: Manuel Franco
Trainer: Chad Brown
Owner: Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, and Richard Schermerhorn
Breeder: Chester Broman & Mary R. Broman
Bloodline: Dark Bay or Brown Gelding, by Medaglia d’Oro out of Khancord Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid. Foaled May 11, 2019 in New York. Foaled May 13, 2021 in Maryland
Medaglia d’Oro stands at Darley, in Lexington, KY ($75,000 stands & nurses)

Payouts

Exotics

• $2.00 Exacta (10-9) Paid: $115.34
• $.50 Trifecta (10-9-3) Paid: $486.65
• $1.00 Superfecta (10-9-3-2) Paid: $8,032.14

Watch the Race