Making the most of a rare trip outside New York, Spirit of St. Louis claimed his first graded stakes victory by a neck in Saturday’s $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) presented by Qatar Racing at Gulfstream Park.

Part of a blockbuster 13-race card offering $5.625 million in purses, the seventh running of the Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up saw the 6-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro overcome mid-race traffic and deliver a late surge under jockey Tyler Gaffalione. He completed the 1 1/8-mile contest in 1:44.50, rewarding backers with a $17.80 payout.

Runner-up Integration, the 7-2 second choice, finished 1 ¼ lengths ahead of 60-1 longshot Chasing the Crown in third. Godolphin’s Nations Pride, the 7-2 favorite, could do no better than ninth in the 12-horse field.

Trained by Chad Brown for Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Richard Schermerhorn, Spirit of St. Louis entered the race with nine wins from 13 starts, all at New York tracks, primarily in state-bred competition. His only prior graded stakes attempt resulted in a fifth-place finish in the Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland last October.

Brown credited the decision to prepare Spirit of St. Louis at Payson Park over the winter as a key factor in his Pegasus success. “The horse was training fantastically, and we’re fortunate he made it into the field despite his lack of graded credentials. He stepped up big today,” Brown said.

The race unfolded with Formidable Man and Win for the Money setting a brisk pace through fractions of :22.74, :46.20, and 1:09.29. Gaffalione settled Spirit of St. Louis in mid-pack but found himself boxed in between horses.

“I loved where he was in relation to the leaders, but being stuck between horses was a little concerning,” Brown noted. “The turning point was Tyler’s decision on the far turn to let a couple of horses go ahead and carve his own path. That move won the race.”

Gaffalione maneuvered Spirit of St. Louis to the outside entering the stretch, where the horse unleashed a powerful closing kick to catch Integration in the final strides.

“I just had to wait for my spot and once I got him clear, he did the rest,” Gaffalione said. “It’s amazing to win here at home with so many familiar faces. I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”

Integration, under jockey Frankie Dettori, appeared poised for victory in the final furlong but couldn’t withstand Spirit of St. Louis’s late charge.

“I had him exactly where I wanted,” Dettori said. “I kicked for home, but he just got me at the line. No excuses—he ran a great race.”

The victory marks a career milestone for Spirit of St. Louis, elevating him from New York-bred standout to Grade 1 winner. It also provided another highlight for Gaffalione, who has been in career-best form.

“Tyler has been riding phenomenally,” Brown said. “Every race, every move—it’s been brilliant. I’m so happy for him and the connections.”