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 miles and was sponsored by Vinery Farm located in Lexington.
In 2000, WinStar Farm became the race's sponsor from then through 2005 and it was renamed the Galaxy Stakes. 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.
In 2005 the distance of the event was decreased to its present distance of one mile.
In 2006, the name of the event was reverted to its inaugural title.
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 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: 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 5 - Julien Leparoux (2006, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2015)
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 RefFirst Lady Stakes2026Classic Q4John R. VelazquezMark E. CasseGary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners1 mile1:35.89$800,000I2025Simply in Front 4Ben Curtis Eddie KennellyColebrook Farms1 mile1:34.76$776,750I2024Gina Romantica 5Jose L. OrtizChad C. BrownPeter M. Brant1 mile1:33.80$728,750 I2023Gina Romantica 4Tyler GaffalioneChad C. BrownPeter M. Brant1 mile1:33.70$724,688 I2022In Italian (GB)4Joel RosarioChad C. BrownPeter M. Brant1 mile1:33.22$683,837I2021Blowout (GB)5Flavien PratChad C. BrownPeter M. Brant1 mile1:34.86 $400,000 I2020Uni (GB)6Joel RosarioChad C. BrownMichael Dubb, Head Of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta & Bethlehem Stable1 mile1:34.90 $343,000 I2019Uni (GB)5Joel RosarioChad C. BrownMichael Dubb, Head Of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta & Bethlehem Stable1 mile1:32.87$400,000I20185John R. VelazquezChad C. BrownMichael Dubb, Madaket Stables & Bethlehem Stables 1 mile1:37.78$400,000I2017Zipessa5Joe BravoMichael StidhamEmpyrean Stables1 mile1:36.99$400,000I2016Photo Call (IRE)5 Todd A. PletcherTeresa Viola Racing1 mile1:35.62$400,000I2015Tepin4Julien R. LeparouxMark E. CasseRobert E. Masterson1 mile1:37.04$400,000I2014Dayatthespa5John R. VelazquezChad C. BrownJerry & Ronald Frankel, Steve Laymon & Bradley Thoroughbreds1 mile1:35.21$400,000I2013Better Lucky4Julien R. LeparouxThomas AlbertraniGodolphin Racing1 mile1:39.78$400,000I2012Tapitsfly5Jose LezcanoDale L. RomansFrank L. Jones Jr.1 mile1:35.44$350,000I2011Never Retreat6Julien R. LeparouxChris M. BlockTeam Block1 mile1:34.08 $350,000I2010Proviso (GB)5Mike E. SmithWilliam I. MottJuddmonte Farms1 mile1:34.81$400,000I2009Diamondrella (GB)5Rajiv MaraghAngel A. Penna Jr.IEAH Stables1 mile1:38.66$400,000I2008Forever Together4Julien R. LeparouxAugustin Stable1 mile1:35.00$400,000I2007Vacare4Corey NakataniChristophe ClementSarah & Jon Kelly1 mile1:35.85$432,000II2006Gorella (FR)4Julien R. LeparouxPatrick L. BianconeMartin S. Schwartz1 mile1:34.14$400,000IIGalaxy Stakes2005Intercontinental (GB)5Jerry D. BaileyRobert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms1 mile1:37.40$400,000II2004Stay Forever7Eddie CastroMartin D. WolfsonSanta Cruz Ranch miles1:57.08$500,000II2003Bien Nicole5Donald R. PettingerDonnie K. Von HemelKristine & John Richter miles1:55.87$500,000II2002Owsley4Edgar S. PradoRandy SchulhoferArthur B. Hancock III miles1:56.72$544,500II2001Spook Express (SAF)7Mike E. SmithThomas J. SkiffingtonRobert & Janet Aron miles1:54.24$563,500II2000Tout Charmant4Chris McCarronRon McAnallyStonerside Stable miles1:54.60$554,000IIIFirst Lady Stakes1999Happyanunoit (NZ)4Brice BlancRobert J. FrankelAmerman Racing Stables miles1:53.80$558,500 Listed 1998Witchful Thinking4Chris McCarronNiall M. O'CallaghanLeslie R. Grimm miles1:54.20$273,250 Listed
Legend:
See also List of American and Canadian Graded races
References