The Unbridled Sidney Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three and older 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 $400,000.
History
The inaugural running of the event was on May 8, 2010, over a distance of five furlongs. The event was won by the 13-5 favorite Candy Cane by a neck and was ridden by Garrett Gomez.
The event is named for Unbridled Sidney, who won four of her seven starts at five furlongs over Churchill Downs’ Turf Course in 2005–07 for owners Douglas and Norrine Devenport and trainer Ronny Werner. Prior to the establishment of this event, Churchill Downs between 1997 and 2008 held an event with exactly the same conditions and scheduled on the Thursday before the Kentucky Derby known as the Mamzelle Stakes. In 2006 the winner of this event was Unbridled Sidney.
In 2011 and 2020, the event was moved off the turf and held on the dirt track due to wet conditions.
In 2019 the event's distance was increased to furlongs. Also that year the event was scheduled during the opening week of Churchill Downs' spring meeting. In 2020 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.
The 2023 event was won by the 2022 Grade I Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel who was resuming confirming that the event was attracting high quality entrants.
In 2024 the event was upgraded to Grade III by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. In 2026 the event would be upgraded again to Grade II.
Records Speed record: furlongs: 1:01.29 – Queen Maxima (2025) (new track record) 5 furlongs: 0:56.23 – Triple Chelsea (2018)
Margins lengths – Good Deed (2013)
Most wins by a jockey: 3 – Shaun Bridgmohan (2011, 2012, 2013) 3 – Florent Geroux (2015, 2021, 2024)
Most wins by a trainer: 2 – Brian A. Lynch (2022, 2026)
Most wins by an owner: 2 – Ike and Dawn Thrash (2012, 2015)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref2026Moon Spun5Javier CastellanoBrian A. LynchTown and Country Racing furlongs1:01.64$474,000II2025Queen Maxima 4Juan J. Hernandez Jeff MullinsDutch Girl Holdings & Irving Ventures furlongs1:01.29 $329,500III2024Ova Charged 6Florent GerouxShane WilsonBrittlyn Stable furlongs1:03.71$332,000III2023Caravel6Tyler GaffalioneBrad H. CoxQatar Racing, Marc Detampel & Madaket Stables furlongs1:02.47$300,000Listed2022Tobys Heart 5Jose L. OrtizBrian A. Lynch Gary Barber, Terry Hamilton & Brian A. Lynch furlongs1:04.11 $199,835Listed2021Into Mystic 5Florent Geroux Brendan P. Walsh Coleman, George Chris & Brad King furlongs1:05.89$150,000 20204Julien LeparouxJames GulickVoodoomon Racing furlongs1:03.56$150,000 2019A Little Bit Me5 Richard BaltasChristopher Johnson furlongs1:04.57$125,000 2018Triple Chelsea 5Adam BeschizzaJoe SharpBrad Grady5 furlongs0:56.23 $70,865 2017Nobody's Fault 5Corey LanerieNeil L. PessinLothenbach Stables5 furlongs0:56.65 $64,600 2016Acapulco 3Robby AlbaradoWesley A. WardDerrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor5 furlongs0:57.47 $63,433 2015Katie's Eyes 4Florent GerouxMichael StidhamIke Thrash, Dawn, Alley, Janet Thrash & Sam Alley5 furlongs0:56.44$66,029 2014Sweet Cassiopeia 8Joseph Rocco Jr.William R. ConnellySteve C. Snowden & Dan Considine5 furlongs0:57.58$65,142 2013Good Deed 4Shaun BridgmohanSteven R. MargolisBert, Elaine & Richard Klein5 furlongs0:57.37$64,418 2012Wild About Marie 5Shaun Bridgmohan Ike & Dawn Thrash5 furlongs0:56.24 $57,385 2011Little Polka Dot 5Thomas M. AmossMaggi Moss5 furlongs0:57.34 $53,210 2010Candy Cane6 Garrett GomezMichael Dubb5 furlongs0:57.45 $54,972
Legend:
See also List of American and Canadian Graded races
External links 2023 Churchill Downs Media Guide – $300,000 Unbridled Sidney presented by Turfway Park Racing & Gaming (Listed)
References