The Mamzelle Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over a distance of furlongs on the turf held annually in early May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky during the spring meeting. The event currently carries a purse of $225,000.
History Initial (1997–2008) The inaugural running of the event was on May 1, 1997, over a distance of five furlongs for fillies and mares that were three years old or older. The event was won by the Pent Up Kiss by a neck and was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Mike E. Smith.
The event was scheduled on the Thursday meeting prior to the Kentucky Derby and held accordingly until 2008.
The 2001 event was won by the Group 1 winning Chilean-bred mare Seperata, who set a new record of 55.92 seconds winning by six lengths.
The Larry Rivelli trained Nicole's Dream in 2005 became the only mare to win the event twice.
In 2009 the event was not scheduled. However, Churchill Downs in 2010 on the Thursday before the Kentucky Derby, scheduled a newly named race which had identical conditions as the Mamzelle Stakes, namely the Unbridled Sidney Stakes. Unbridled Sidney was a winner of the Mamzelle Stakes in 2006.
Renewal (2019– ) In 2019 the event was reestablished with the new conditions for entry – that only three-year-old fillies could start. The event was scheduled to be held the Saturday after the Kentucky Derby and was named as the Mamzelle Overnight Stakes.
In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Churchill Downs did not schedule the event in their updated and shortened September meeting.
The 2022 event was won by the 2021 Grade II Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Irish-bred winner Twilight Gleaming. Also the purse was raised to $150,000 and in 2022 raised again $200,000 whereby the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association awarded the event Listed status.
In 2023 the event's distance was increased to furlongs. In 2024 the event's name was restored back to the Mamzelle Stakes.
In 2025 the event was upgraded to Grade III by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
Records Speed record furlongs: 1:01.46 – Shisospicy (2025) 5 furlongs: 0:55.92 (New Track Record) – Separata (CHI) (2001)
Margins 6 lengths – Separata (CHI) (2001)
Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Robby Albarado (2000, 2004, 2006, 2007)
Most wins by a trainer: 2 – Richard E. Mandella (1999, 2001) 2 – Thomas M. Amoss (2002, 2003) 2 – Larry Rivelli (2004, 2005) 2 – Jose D'Angelo (2024, 2025)
Most wins by an owner: 2 – Dare To Dream Stable 4 (2004, 2005)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefMamzelle Stakes2026Cy Fair3Irad Ortiz Jr.George WeaverMedallion Racing, Swinbank Stables, Joey Platts & Mark Stanton furlongs1:01.90 $299,250III2025Shisospicy 3Jose L. Ortiz Jose D'AngeloMorplay Racing furlongs1:01.46$224,625III2024Twirling Queen 3Francisco Arrieta Jose D'AngeloGU Racing Stable furlongs1:03.12$224,930 ListedMamzelle Overnight Stakes2023Danse Macabre 3Adam Beschizza Kelsey DannerNBS Stable and Elements Racing furlongs1:02.98$224,750Listed20223Tyler Gaffalione Wesley A. Ward Stonestreet Stables5 furlongs0:58.22 $114,500Listed2021Lady Edith 3 Thomas Drury Jr. J. David Richardson & Sandra New5 furlongs0:57.04$108,075 2020Race not held 2019Change of Control 3Gabriel Saez Michelle LovellRoddy Harrison5 furlongs0:56.25$98,350 2009–2018Race not heldMamzelle Stakes2008Just for Keeps 4 Garrett Gomez Michael J. Maker Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey5 furlongs0:56.09$110,400Listed 2007Smitty's Sunshine 5 Robby Albarado Morris G. Nicks Roger G. Smith5 furlongs0:56.92$111,100Listed 2006Unbridled Sidney 5 Robby AlbaradoRonny W. Werner Douglas Devenport5 furlongs0:56.96$113,600Listed 2005Nicole's Dream 5Eddie Martin Jr.Larry Rivelli Dare To Dream Stable 45 furlongs0:56.41$112,100Listed 2004Nicole's Dream 4 Robby AlbaradoLarry Rivelli Dare To Dream Stable 45 furlongs0:56.40$117,700Listed 2003Full Spectrum 4 Calvin BorelThomas M. Amoss Phoebe Mueller Trust5 furlongs0:56.09$113,500Listed 2002Repository 4Lonnie MecheThomas M. AmossMary L. Bonham5 furlongs0:58.19$114,000Listed 2001Separata (CHI)5 Alex O. Solis Richard E. Mandella Diamond A Racing 5 furlongs0:55.92$109,700Listed 2000Steal a Heart 5 Robby AlbaradoAlice G. Cohn Jeffrey S. Amling5 furlongs0:56.11$111,000Listed 1999Desert Lady (IRE)6 Corey Nakatani Richard E. Mandella The Thoroughbred Corporation5 furlongs0:56.79$114,600Listed 1998Oh Nellie 4 Gary L. Stevens Todd A. Pletcher Michael B. Tabor5 furlongs0:57.45$120,700Listed 1997Pent Up Kiss 5 Mike E. Smith New Farm5 furlongs0:56.67$113,900Listed
Legend:
See also List of American and Canadian Graded races
External links 2023 Churchill Downs Media Guide – $225,000 Mamzelle (Listed)
References