First Lady Stakes
Horse race
The First Lady Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for fillies & mares, age three and older over a distance of one mile on the turf held annually in October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky during the fall meeting.
History
The race was first run on October 16, 1998, as the First Lady Stakes at a distance of 1+ 3 ⁄16 miles and was sponsored by Vinery Farm located in Lexington.[ 1]
In 2000, WinStar Farm became the race's sponsor from then through 2005 and it was renamed the Galaxy Stakes .[ 2]
Also that year the event was classified Grade III by the American Graded Stakes Committee who upgraded it as a Grade II race the following year.[ 3]
In 2005 the distance of the event was decreased to its present distance of one mile.[ 3]
In 2006, the name of the event was reverted to its inaugural title.[ 2]
The First Lady Stakes is a steppingstone to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf . In 2000, Perfect Sting ran second in this race but went on to win that year's inaugural edition of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.[ 4] In 2005, Intercontinental won this race and the ensuing Breeders' Cup and was crowned US Champion Female Turf Horse . The 2008 winner Forever Together also went on to win the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and was crowned US Champion Female Turf Horse . The 2015 winner Tepin went on to defeat the males in the Breeders' Cup Mile and also was crowned US Champion Female Turf Horse . The British bred Uni was the most recent winner to claim the Breeders' Cup Mile after winning this event in 2019.
Records
Speed record:
1:32.87 - Uni (GB) (2019)
Margins:
7+ 1 ⁄4 lengths – Bien Nicole (2003)
Most wins
2 - Uni (GB) (2019, 2020)
2 - Gina Romantica (2023, 2024)
Most wins by an owner
4 - Peter M. Brant (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Most wins by a jockey
Most wins by a trainer
8 - Chad C. Brown (2014, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Winners
Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Distance
Time
Purse
Grade
Ref
First Lady Stakes
2024
Gina Romantica
5
Jose L. Ortiz
Chad C. Brown
Peter M. Brant
1 mile
1:33.80
$728,750
I
[ 5]
2023
Gina Romantica
4
Tyler Gaffalione
Chad C. Brown
Peter M. Brant
1 mile
1:33.70
$724,688
I
[ 6]
2022
In Italian (GB)
4
Joel Rosario
Chad C. Brown
Peter M. Brant
1 mile
1:33.22
$683,837
I
[ 7]
2021
Blowout (GB)
5
Flavien Prat
Chad C. Brown
Peter M. Brant
1 mile
1:34.86
$400,000
I
[ 8]
2020
Uni (GB)
6
Joel Rosario
Chad C. Brown
Michael Dubb, Head Of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta & Bethlehem Stable
1 mile
1:34.90
$343,000
I
[ 9]
2019
Uni (GB)
5
Joel Rosario
Chad C. Brown
Michael Dubb, Head Of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta & Bethlehem Stable
1 mile
1:32.87
$400,000
I
[ 10]
2018
A Raving Beauty (GER)
5
John R. Velazquez
Chad C. Brown
Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables & Bethlehem Stables
1 mile
1:37.78
$400,000
I
[ 11]
2017
Zipessa
5
Joe Bravo
Michael Stidham
Empyrean Stables
1 mile
1:36.99
$400,000
I
[ 12]
2016
Photo Call (IRE)
5
Kent J. Desormeaux
Todd A. Pletcher
Teresa Viola Racing
1 mile
1:35.62
$400,000
I
[ 13]
2015
Tepin
4
Julien R. Leparoux
Mark E. Casse
Robert E. Masterson
1 mile
1:37.04
$400,000
I
[ 14]
2014
Dayatthespa
5
John R. Velazquez
Chad C. Brown
Jerry & Ronald Frankel, Steve Laymon & Bradley Thoroughbreds
1 mile
1:35.21
$400,000
I
[ 15]
2013
Better Lucky
4
Julien R. Leparoux
Thomas Albertrani
Godolphin Racing
1 mile
1:39.78
$400,000
I
[ 16]
2012
Tapitsfly
5
Jose Lezcano
Dale L. Romans
Frank L. Jones Jr.
1 mile
1:35.44
$350,000
I
[ 17]
2011
Never Retreat
6
Julien R. Leparoux
Chris M. Block
Team Block
1 mile
1:34.08
$350,000
I
[ 18]
2010
Proviso (GB)
5
Mike E. Smith
William I. Mott
Juddmonte Farms
1 mile
1:34.81
$400,000
I
[ 19]
2009
Diamondrella (GB)
5
Rajiv Maragh
Angel A. Penna Jr.
IEAH Stables
1 mile
1:38.66
$400,000
I
[ 20]
2008
Forever Together
4
Julien R. Leparoux
Jonathan E. Sheppard
Augustin Stable
1 mile
1:35.00
$400,000
I
[ 21]
2007
Vacare
4
Corey Nakatani
Christophe Clement
Sarah & Jon Kelly
1 mile
1:35.85
$432,000
II
[ 22]
2006
Gorella (FR)
4
Julien R. Leparoux
Patrick L. Biancone
Martin S. Schwartz
1 mile
1:34.14
$400,000
II
[ 23]
Galaxy Stakes
2005
Intercontinental (GB)
5
Jerry D. Bailey
Robert J. Frankel
Juddmonte Farms
1 mile
1:37.40
$400,000
II
[ 24]
2004
Stay Forever
7
Eddie Castro
Martin D. Wolfson
Santa Cruz Ranch
1+ 3 ⁄16 miles
1:57.08
$500,000
II
[ 25]
2003
Bien Nicole
5
Donald R. Pettinger
Donnie K. Von Hemel
Kristine & John Richter
1+ 3 ⁄16 miles
1:55.87
$500,000
II
[ 26]
2002
Owsley
4
Edgar S. Prado
Randy Schulhofer
Arthur B. Hancock III
1+ 3 ⁄16 miles
1:56.72
$544,500
II
[ 27]
2001
Spook Express (SAF)
7
Mike E. Smith
Thomas J. Skiffington
Robert & Janet Aron
1+ 3 ⁄16 miles
1:54.24
$563,500
II
[ 28]
2000
Tout Charmant
4
Chris McCarron
Ron McAnally
Stonerside Stable
1+ 3 ⁄16 miles
1:54.60
$554,000
III
[ 4]
First Lady Stakes
1999
Happyanunoit (NZ)
4
Brice Blanc
Robert J. Frankel
Amerman Racing Stables
1+ 3 ⁄16 miles
1:53.80
$558,500
Listed
[ 29]
1998
Witchful Thinking
4
Chris McCarron
Niall M. O'Callaghan
Leslie R. Grimm
1+ 3 ⁄16 miles
1:54.20
$273,250
Listed
[ 1]
See also
References