Churchill Downs favorite Zulu Kingdom captured the $1-million American Turf Stakes Saturday, outlasting rivals Test Score and New Century in the newly upgraded Grade I event.
The 21-10 favorite sat a perfect trip from close up, took command inside the final furlong, and secured the victory despite running on his incorrect lead. The Irish-bred ridgling by Ten Sovereigns gave trainer Chad Brown his third win in the prestigious race.
“I thought this horse was basically a miler but he handled the mile and a sixteenth today just fine,” Brown said after the race. “That might open up some new possibilities. Flavien (Prat) and I discussed his most recent races and the one thing we most wanted was to get this horse covered up early. When he sees open daylight, he wants to pull. But fortunately today, a couple of horses went out early in front of us and we got the exact trip we were hoping for.”
Zulu Kingdom raced fourth while positioned between rivals behind pacesetter Mi Bago. When asked for his run, the favorite gradually closed on the leader before surging past at the sixteenth pole.
Test Score, who raced three back along the fence, came around Warlander in upper stretch before diving to the inside late to secure second in a photo finish. New Century — last year’s Summer Stakes winner — rallied from the back of the pack but couldn’t reach the leaders in time.
The victory marks Zulu Kingdom’s fifth win from six career starts. The ridgling began his career in France under trainer Andre Fabre, winning a maiden event over 1400 meters at Saint-Cloud last June before transferring to Brown’s U.S. operation.
His American campaign includes victories in the Grade III With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga and the Grade II Pilgrim Stakes at Aqueduct last fall. After finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, he returned with a win in the Columbia Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in March.
Zulu Kingdom becomes the first Grade I winner for his sire Ten Sovereigns, a son of No Nay Never. He is a half-brother to French listed winner Zulu Warrior and comes from a strong female family that includes Group 3 winner and sire Zanzibari.
The winner earned $507,780 for owners Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, and Michael J. Caruso, pushing his career earnings to $800,387.
Zulu Kingdom (IRE) closes with a rush to win the G1 American Turf presented by Ford!
Flavien Prat up for trainer Chad Brown. pic.twitter.com/PsFSop6wpU
— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns)
Zulu Kingdom (IRE) closes with a rush to win the G1 American Turf presented by Ford!
— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 3, 2025
Flavien Prat up for trainer Chad Brown. pic.twitter.com/PsFSop6wpU
