First Lady Stakes
| Grade 1 race | |
| Location | Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1998 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www.keeneland.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 mile (8 furlongs) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Fillies & Mares, three-years-old & up |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | $400,000 |
The First Lady Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. A one-mile (8 furlongs) race on turf, it is open to Fillies & Mares, age three and older.[1][2] Run in mid October, it currently offers a purse of $400,000.[1][2]
The race was first run in 1998 as the First Lady Stakes at a distance of 1 3⁄16 miles. In 2005 it was modified to its present distance of one mile. In 2000, WinStar Farm became the race's sponsor from then through 2005 and it was renamed the Galaxy Stakes. In 2006, the name reverted to its inaugural title.
A listed race in its first two years, it earned Grade III status in 2000 from the American Graded Stakes Committee who sanctioned it as a Grade II race the following year. On November 28, 2007, it was upgraded to a Grade I event.
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. In 2005, Intercontinental won this race and the ensuing Breeders' Cup.
Records
Speed record: (at current distance of 1 mile)
- 1:34.08 - Never Retreat (2011)
Most wins:
- No horse has won this race more than once.
Most wins by an owner:
- No owner has won this race more than once.
Most wins by a jockey:
- 4 - Julien Leparoux (2006, 2008, 2011, 2013)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 2 - Robert J. Frankel (1999, 2005)
Winners of the First Lady Stakes
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Tepin | 4 | Julien Leparoux | Mark Casse | Robert E. Masterson | 1:37.04 |
| 2014 | Dayatthespa | 5 | John Velazquez | Chad Brown | Frankel/Laymon/Bradley Thoroughbreds | 1:35.21 |
| 2013 | Better Lucky | 4 | Julien Leparoux | Thomas Albertrani | Godolphin Racing | 1:39.78 |
| 2012 | Tapitsfly | 5 | Jose Lezcano | Dale Romans | Frank Jones Jr. | 1:35.44 |
| 2011 | Never Retreat | 6 | Julien Leparoux | Chris Block | Team Block | 1:34.08 (stakes record) |
| 2010 | Proviso | 5 | Mike E. Smith | Bill Mott | Juddmonte Farms | 1:34.81 |
| 2009 | Diamondrella | 5 | Rajiv Maragh | Angel Penna Jr. | IEAH Stables | 1:38.66 |
| 2008 | Forever Together | 4 | Julien Leparoux | Jonathan E. Sheppard | Augustin Stable | 1:35.00 |
| 2007 | Vacare | 4 | Corey Nakatani | Christophe Clement | Sarah & Jon Kelly | 1:35.85 |
| 2006 | Gorella | 4 | Julien Leparoux | Patrick Biancone | Martin S. Schwartz | 1:34.14 |
| 2005 | Intercontinental | 5 | Jerry Bailey | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 1:37.40 |
| 2004 | Stay Forever | 7 | Eddie Castro | Martin D. Wolfson | Santa Cruz Ranch, Inc. | 1:57.08 |
| 2003 | Bien Nicole | 5 | Donald Pettinger | Donnie K. Von Hemel | Kristine & John Richter | 1:55.87 |
| 2002 | Owsley | 4 | Edgar Prado | Randy Schulhofer | Arthur B. Hancock III | 1:56.72 |
| 2001 | Spook Express | 7 | Mike E. Smith | Thomas J. Skiffington | Robert & Janice Aron | 1:54.24 |
| 2000 | Tout Charmant | 4 | Chris McCarron | Ronald McAnally | Stonerside Stable | 1:54.60 |
| 1999 | Happyanunoit | 4 | Brice Blanc | Robert J. Frankel | Amerman Racing Stables | 1:53.80 |
| 1998 | Witchful Thinking | 4 | Chris McCarron | Niall M. O'Callaghan | Leslie R. Grimm | 1:54.20 |
References
- 1 2 National Thoroughbred Racing Association (2007). "Contention runs deep in First Lady". Equibase Company LLC. Retrieved November 23, 2007.
- 1 2 National Thoroughbred Racing Association (2007). "First Lady favorites iffy for F&M Turf". Equibase Company LLC. Retrieved November 23, 2007.