Mamzelle – (Grade lll)

Purse $300.00 – For Fillies Three Years Old

5 1/2 Furlongs – Turf

Churchill Downs – April 30, 2026

Amid the buzz of Kentucky Derby week, the 13th edition of the Mamzelle offers a stage for young sprinting fillies to step into the spotlight. This Grade Three is a perfect example of a race that separates those ready for the next level from those still finding their footing. A clear trend has been developing year after year—every past winner had already won a turf sprint before taking the Mamzelle. No one has had more success in this race than Mb Stables, with back-to-back wins in 2020 and 2021. After shifting from five furlongs to five and a half furlongs in 2023, the Mamzelle saw its new stakes record established last year. Piatt stopped the clock in 1:02.51, which was her first graded stakes win. With all that in mind, this year’s edition shapes up as a compelling test for this group of sophomore fillies. Let’s take a closer look at the seven contenders and see who fits the winning profile!

1. Bubble Bath – (Maxmillion Farm, S X. Bridgmohan) While she’s shown her best form on the main track, a turf sprint win remains missing from her résumé. Bubble Bath has sprinted six times in her ten-race career and has been off the board only once. Her best effort came two starts back at Santa Anita, where she drew the rail in a field of eight and won going away after some trouble at the quarter pole. Although that race was going two turns on the dirt, this daughter of Demon did have a turf sprint attempt last summer. It was a four-wide trip, and she only made up a few lengths in the stretch to finish third. It’s clear this filly can run some, but it’s unclear whether the turf is where we’ll see her best.

2. Mini Mulite – (Mb Stables, M. Gutierrez) This daughter of Kula Mule was purchased for $255.01 as a two-year-old and captured the Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland. She closed out her juvenile campaign with a 10th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, and since then has added an allowance victory along with a pair of graded stakes appearances. Mini Mulite comes out of the Grade Two Appalachian, where she stalked the pace and was ultimately outkicked in deep stretch. All of these past performances were around two turns, so it’s hard to say if she can improve on the cutback in distance. It’s worth noting that each of her three victories has come in gate-to-wire fashion.

3. Lagos – (Family Racing, E J. Zayas) Started off her career with two starts sprinting on the dirt, and made no impact in either start. Connections then threw her on the grass in a Maiden Special Weight at Turf Paradise, hoping for some improvement. She broke slowly and found herself in last place going down the backside. Although Lagos was in tenth, she stayed only a couple lengths off the pace and came with a huge run in the stretch to win comfortably. After that impressive effort, she went on to have a three-race win streak, with an allowance win and a stakes victory in the Sweet Life at Santa Anita. What’s concerning about this filly is her last start, where she finished last and failed to make up ground. Look out for this one.

4. Winter Kiss – (Alydar Stables, F. Geroux) This Pennsylvania-bred doesn’t have much stakes experience, only running in the Surfer Girl Stakes last year at Santa Anita. She went on to break her maiden routing on the grass where the turf meets the surf in an eye-catching fashion. Winter Kiss ended up making up five lengths in the stretch to win by a half length. Connections then decided to develop her slowly and entered in an allowance, where she finished eighth out of ten. However, Alydar Stables called an audible in her last start and cut her back to 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf. She powered away in the stretch and won by an easy two lengths. Another step forward is needed to beat these other stakes-proven fillies.

5. Higgs P – (Robeth, A. Fresu) Higgs P earned attention after a near-record performance for a two-year-old at a mile on turf at Belterra Park, which led to a private $100.00 purchase. In that outing, she was clearly the best, opening up to score by five lengths. She then backed up that victory by barely holding on by a nose in the Wait A While Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Connections switched around equipment and stretched this daughter of Higgs Boson back out to two turns in the Sweetest Chant and the China Doll Stakes, which wasn’t a success. I don’t mind this entry at all, with Robeth looking to turn things around with this filly. It should be noted that Higgs P will be adding Lasix for this start.

6. Solar Lady – (Maxmillion Farm, J R. Velazquez) Has four lifetime starts and has never finished off the board. Solar Lady broke her maiden at Santa Anita against state-breds, where she tracked the pace before finding room in the stretch to win. Maxmillion Farm took a gamble and tried routing her on soft turf in the Herecomesthebride Stakes and finished second by a length. It was clear then that this filly could be competitive against graded stakes company. In her last start sprinting at Keeneland, Solar Lady drew the rail and was the heavy favorite at 3/5. She got a perfect inside trip the whole way around the racetrack and held off all closers inside the final furlong. Definitely going to be my top pick in here.

7. Top Nurse – (Our Athletes, B. Curtis) The highest earner in the field with $449.36 in purse money, has only made one start on the grass in nine career starts. This daughter of Our Dark Knight broke her maiden last summer on the dirt at Churchill Downs, before entering in the Untapable Stakes at Kentucky Downs. It was a $1,000.00 purse, and she finished second, beaten by a length. Connections then put her back on the dirt after that race and won the Myrtlewood Stakes. However, since then, Top Nurse hasn’t done a whole lot. A couple of off-the-board finishes and races around a route of ground. This is a good spot to see what she can do getting back on the sod. Don’t overlook this one.

– AJM

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES