Churchill Downs Stakes Recap & Quotes: The $225,000 Mamzelle (GIII)

May 10, 2025

Limestone Stakes winner Shisospicy scored her second straight stakes victory with a dominant 4 ¼-length win over Kilwin in Saturday’s sixth running of the $224,625 Mamzelle Stakes (Listed) for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Jose D’Angelo, Shisospicy clocked 5 ½ furlongs on firm turf in a stakes record 1:01.46 for Josh Mendez’s Morplay Racing LLC. Shisospicy shaved nearly 1 ½ seconds off Danse Macabre’s 2023 mark of 1:02.98 and nearly bested Queen Maxima’s course record of 1:01.29 set on Kentucky Oaks Day.

“In her last start the ground was soft and today the track was a lot better for her,” D’Angelo said. “In her last workout, I tried to relax her a little bit and close. She was able to do that today – relax and close hard.”

Breaking alertly from post position No. 9 in the field of 13, Shisospicy rated just off the right hip of pacesetter Dreamaway, who zipped the first quarter mile in :21.72 and the half in :44.03. Shisospicy put away Dreamaway with more than an eighth of mile to the finish and coasted to the powerful victory without a challenge.

Shisospicy paid $4.80, $3.12 and $3.02 as the 7-5 favorite. Kilwin, the 3-1 second betting choice under Edgar Morales, returned $3.74 and $3.10. Mechaya, with Luan Machado up at 26-1, paid $9.56 to show.

Dreamaway, Laurice, Bunratty Manor (IRE), It Ain’t Two (GB), Civetta, Avientot, Mighty Eriu (IRE), Bonne Fille, Anakarina and Stay Classy completed the order of finish. Hey Bertie, Lovely Emma, Me Governor and Serving Time (GB) were scratched.

The victory was worth $129,820 and increased Shisospicy’s earnings to $415,370 with a record of 6-4-1-1. She is unbeaten in three starts on grass.

“Our goal is always to have fun and this was a lot of fun,” said Rich Mendez, the founder of Morplay Racing. “We knew after the Limestone we had a lot of confidence with her moving forward. She’s run so well in all of her starts. Her performance today really solidified that.”

Added D’Angelo, “Our plan now is to go to Saratoga with her.”

Shisospicy is a daughter of Mitole out of the Into Mischief mare Mischief Galore and was bred in Kentucky by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt.

MAMZELLE QUOTES

Jose D’Angelo (trainer, Shisospicy, winner): “In her last start the ground was soft and today the track was a lot better for her. In her last workout, I tried to relax her a little bit and close. She was able to do that today – relax and close hard. Our plan now is to go to Saratoga with her.”

Rich Mendez (founder of Morplay Racing, Shisospicy, winner): “Our goal is always to have fun and this was a lot of fun. We knew after the Limestone we had a lot of confidence with her moving forward. She’s run so well in all of her starts and really solidified herself as one of the best 3-year-old fillies in this division.”

Edgar Morales (jockey, Kilwin, runner-up): “She tried really hard. She came with a big run but was just second best.”