Churchill Downs Stakes Recap & Quotes: The Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic

May 03, 2025 Kevin Kerstein

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Richard Schermerhorn’s Spirit of St Louis posted a three-quarters of a length victory over Mercante to win the 39th running of the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI) for 4-year-olds and up.

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Manny Franco, Spirit of St Louis completed the mile and eighth over a Matt Winn Turf Course rated as good in 1:48.20. It was the second Grade I victory of the afternoon for Brown who saddled Zulu Kingdom (IRE) for the win in the American Turf.

Also, it was Brown’s fifth victory in the Turf Classic with previous scores coming with Program Trading (GB) in 2024, Domestic Spending (GB) in 2021, Digital Age (IRE) in 2020 and Bricks and Mortar in 2019.

Gigante set the pace with Mercante tracking in second through fractions of :23.97, :47.99 and 1:12.13 with Spirit of St Louis racing near the back of the pack. Mercante took over at the top of the stretch while behind him Franco was navigating Spirit of St Louis into the clear with a nine-wide move.

Spirit of St Louis surged past Mercante at the sixteenth pole to secure his second Grade I victory and 11th in 16 starts overall. He is a 6-year-old gelded New York-bred son of Medaglia d’Oro out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Khancord Kid.

Spirit of St Louis returned $8.24, $4.60 and $3.30. Mercante, ridden by Joe Ramos, returned $11.28 and $7.76 and finished a neck in front of Highway Robber, who paid $8.04 to show under Declan Cannon.

It was another neck back to Gold Phoenix (IRE) with Running Bee, Redistricting (GB), Integration, Cameo Performance, Gigante and Taking Candy following in order.

OLD FORESTER BOURBON TURF CLASSIC QUOTES

Manny Franco (Jockey, Spirit of St Louis, first) – “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.”

Chad Brown (Trainer, Spirit of St Louis, first) – “He was standing flat-footed and he didn’t break all that well. 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. I’ve been following his numbers and he is getting better and better. But he has surprised me with how far he can run.”