Belmont at Big A: Spirit of St Louis, Silver Skillet win stakes

Spirit of St Louis secured his fifth straight stakes victory with a powerful score under his regular pilot Manny Franco in Saturday’s $125,000 Hudson Valley Stakes, a one-mile inner turf test for older New York-breds on closing day at Belmont at the Big A.

Owned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Richard Schermerhorn and trained by four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, the classy 5-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro has won 8 of 10 starts. He arrived on a streak of stakes scores at the Big A in the state-bred Ashley T. Cole on Oct. 6, the state-bred Mohawk on Oct. 29 and the listed Danger’s Hour in April. Last out he took an off-the-turf renewal of the state-bred Kingston on June 9 at Saratoga.

Click here for Belmont at the Big A entries and results.

“He is just a winning machine. He likes to run, and every time he gives you 110 percent,” said Franco, who has been aboard Spirit of St Louis throughout the series of stakes wins. “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. When you ask him for all, he gives you a nice kick. I think that has made him special.”

José Gómez-piloted Itsallcomintogetha led the field past the wire for the first time with Franco angling Spirit of St Louis, who exited the inside post, off the rail and into an outside stalking position. The opening quarter-mile elapsed in 24.17 seconds over the firm going.

Itsallcomintogetha continued to show the way up the backstretch through a half-mile in 47.82 seconds. Spirit of St Louis traveled comfortably in second and waited for his cue under patient Dylan Davis in front of Jerry the Nipper, City Man and late-running Dakota Gold.

Spirit of St Louis engaged the leader through the final turn as Jerry the Nipper dropped back, and City Man advanced down the rail into third through three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.51. Spirit of St Louis, always looking most likely, took command once straightened away for the stretch run and scored by three lengths with a final time of 1:35.83.

Dakota Gold arrived in the final jumps to earn place honors by a neck over game Itsallcomintogetha with City Man another neck back in fourth. Jerry the Nipper rounded out the order of finish. Main-track-only entrant Sheriff Bianco was scratched.

Franco was full of praise for professional Spirit of St Louis, who has proven to be successful on both surfaces and with varying trips.

“He’s very versatile. Wherever you put him, like I say, he’s going to give you 110 percent,” Franco said. “He probably likes to be a little covered, but wherever you put him, he’ll be there.”

Franco said the talented gelding would be more than capable in a return to open company.

“He did it once already, and I think it doesn’t matter. Right now he’s doing great, and he’s in the best hands with Chad Brown,” Franco said.

Davis said multiple-stakes winner Dakota Gold performed admirably in defeat.

“I thought he ran a great race,” he said. “He broke OK. I was trying to get some position in the first turn, but he doesn't like to be inside too much. So when City Man decided to take back and try to cover up, I opted to take back and out of flight and ride that race. Into the second turn, (the turf) felt a little soft. He came and gave me a nice steady run. I got him to the outside, and he got a nice placing there. The winner was much the best, so I thought he put a great effort in."

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Spirit of St Louis banked $68,750 in victory while improving his record to 10: 8-2-0. He returned $3 for a $2 win bet.

Out of the graded-stakes-winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Khancord Kid, Spirit of St Louis is a full brother to the Bromans’ 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold. He was bought for $280,000 at the 2023 Keeneland April horses-of-racing-age sale.

Silver Skillet cruises in Port Washington

Silver Skillet was golden all the way around in the $125,000 Port Washington, a 1 1/16-mile, inner-turf route for older New York-bred fillies and mares.

Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing and Steven Rocco and trained by Christophe Clément, the reigning New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ champion turf female Silver Skillet doubled up on recent stakes success after capturing an off-the-turf edition of the one-mile Mount Vernon on June 9 at Saratoga.

After emerging victorious in the last stakes race of the Belmont at the Big A spring-summer meet, Clément said he was happy to end on a high note.

"It's always nice to win, especially when you train for your friends,” Clément said.

Piloted by Hall of Famer Joel Rosario, the Liam’s Map gray was taken right to the front after breaking from outermost post 4. Similar to her pacesetting win last out in the Mount Vernon, Silver Skillet established a comfortable advantage early. This time she found herself six lengths ahead of Lisa’s Vision through an opening quarter-mile in 23.33 seconds over the firm ground.

Rosario refused to let eager Silver Skillet run off any more during the first turn, allowing meet-leading rider Manny Franco aboard Lisa’s Vision to draw within 2 1/2 lengths with Snowy Evening and Marvelous Maude one length behind after a half-mile in 49.04 seconds.

“I told (Rosario) to just be comfortable. She’s doing well. He took her to the lead. It was a bit quick first quarter. He slowed it down second quarter,” Clément said about the early advantage. “She was much the best. It all worked out.”

The early pacesetter continued to lead up the backside and into the turn with Lisa’s Vision improving to a one-length deficit. Marvelous Maude continued to travel inside Snowy Evening with some work to do following three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.10.

At the top of the stretch Lisa’s Vision and the Irad Ortiz Jr.-piloted Marvelous Maude were positioned to the outside. Their sights were set on Silver Skillet, who was ready to roll under Rosario and awaiting any sort of cue from her pilot.

With a hand ride from Rosario, Silver Skillet flew home to a much-the-best, seven-length win over Lisa’s Vision with a final time of 1:43.33.

It was another two lengths back to Marvelous Maude in third. Snowy Evening completed the order of finish. Whatlovelookslike was scratched, along with main-track-only entrants Bon Adieu and Bustin Bay.

Rosario notched his fourth win aboard the talented mare including a rallying score in the state-bred, 1 1/16-mile turf Suzie O’Cain in August at Saratoga. He said being able to dictate the terms has been beneficial as of late.

“She broke a little slow and got going with a little bit of speed, but I was able to slow it down on the backside a little bit, and she did the work,” Rosario said. “Very nice. She’s really talented, and sometimes she likes to do her own thing. She’s just a racehorse.”

Bred in New York by Robert Chasanoff, Silver Skillet is out of the stakes-winning Red Giant mare Catcha Rising Star. She banked $68,750 in victory while improving her record to 14: 5-3-2.

As the post-time favorite, Silver Skillet returned $3.10 for a $2 win bet.