LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Staten Islander Chris Mancusi has seen hundreds of races as head coach of the St. Joseph by-the-Sea cross country and track teams, but one of the most memorable came this past weekend — thanks to his own horse, Double Your Money.
Taking the starting gate Saturday at the hallowed Churchill Downs for the Claiming Crown Jewel —often called the pinnacle of claiming races — Mancusi’s horse went off at roughly 10-1, yet delivered a spectacular performance to take first place.
Claiming races differ from the high-profile stakes races often seen on TV: in these races, horses are essentially for sale at a set price, allowing trainers and owners to balance competition with strategy and investment.
Thanks to Double Your Money’s performance, Mancusi —who entered the horse claiming scene four years ago — along with trainer Ben Dunn and jockey Melvis Gonzalez, secured the $224,943 first-place purse, bringing their total number of wins to 25.
Double Your Money, acquired by Mancusi and Dunn in October 2024, has now earned $331,150 in 13 starts for his current connections. Under Mancusi’s ownership, the gelding has placed top three in every race, collecting five wins, seven seconds, and one third-place finish.
“I was absolutely ecstatic seeing him cross the finish line because the race was so tight; he could have finished anywhere from sixth to first place,” Mancusi said.
“Once I saw him hit the finish line, I was running right to the winner’s circle. He’s such a great horse; he’s like a puppy in the stall and loves people, but he still has a killer instinct on the track. What a race.”
Staten Islander Chris Mancusi (third from left) and his team celebrate after their horse, Double Your Money, took first place at the Claiming Crown Jewel on Nov. 15, 2025.Kurtis Ryan Coady
Double Your Money closed hard from the middle of the pack, weaving between horses along the inside to outfinish 13 rivals, covering 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:50.89. A solid early pace — splits of :23.31, :47.07, and 1:11.82 — set the stage for Double Your Money and other closers to make their move effectively, but Mancusi’s horse still made it home first.
“He’s the best horse I’ve ever had,” Mancusi concluded simply.
To watch the thrilling race, click here.
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