BY BROCK SHERIDAN
A pair of Florida-bred fillies in Midnight Martini and Ifyousaidso will try for their initial black-type credentials against graded-stakes company Thursday at Churchill Downs in the $300,000 Mamzelle (Grade 3). Eleven 3-year-old fillies will go five-and-a-half furlongs on the grass.
In addition to the purse money, Midnight Martini and Ifyousaidso will be running for a $5,000 Export Incentive paid to their respective breeders by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association for an out-of-state victory at this level.
Mark Casse trains Midnight Martini for Aron Wellman’s Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Hugh and Valerie Dailey’s Blue Crevalle Racing and Torie Gladwell as she makes her third career start.
The dark bay or brown daughter of Yaupon won at first asking by two lengths on January 30, taking a five-furlong maiden special weight for fillies on the Gulfstream Park turf. She switched to the Gulfstream all-weather course to face Florida-bred males at five furlongs her second start, finishing second to Rebel With a Cause on March 5.
Midnight Martini has earned $61,280 and will be ridden from post seven by Javier Castellano, who rode her in her two previous starts. They are 12-1 in the program.
Midnight Martini was bred in Florida by Valerie Dailey and Torie Gladwell in the name of their Southern Wives Partners.
The more experienced Ifyousaidso won two of her first four starts before transferring to the barn of trainer Jose D’Angelo for her last race on April 3, all at Gulfstream. Ifyousaidso was bumped at the start in her last out going five furlongs on synthetic and finished fourth in a first level, $75,000 optional claiming won by Mamzelle-rival Thank You Amy.
In her second career start in June, she dominated a five-furlong maiden special weight for fillies, winning by five-and-a-quarter lengths. She faced first condition, $75,000 optional claiming fillies going five furlongs on the grass in her next two races, finishing second on December 4 and winning by a half-length on January 8.
Ifyousaidso is by Stonehedge Farm South stallion Cajun Breeze out of the Concerto mare Theyladysaidno. Owned by Michael Faber’s Dare to Dream Stable, she has earned $120,490. Dare to Dream Stable Management purchased her for $110,000 out of the Shadybrook consignment at the 2026 Ocala Breeders’ Sales January Online Sale of Horses of Racing Age.
Ifyousaidso will be ridden for the first time by Luis Saez and they have drawn post two. They are 20-1 on the morning line.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1)-winner Cy Fair makes her second start of 2026 after finishing second in the Grade 3 Limestone at Keeneland on April 10, a race won by Slay the Day, who returns in the Mamzelle.
Cy Fair is trained by George Weaver for Medallion Racing, Swinbank Stables, Joey Platt and Mark Stanton and has earned $713,455 from winning three of five career starts with a second and a third. The daughter of Not This Time also counts a three-and-a-quarter-length victory in last year’s $184,000 Algonquin (Listed) on the Woodbine turf among her stakes victories.
Cy Fair is the 5-2 morning line favorite and will break from post five with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle.
The Limestone was the first stakes victory for Slay the Day, who is 3-1 in the program.
By Into Mischief, Slay the Day has won three of five career starts with one second and earnings of $337,238 for owner Flying Dutchman.
John Velazquez has the return mount and they will break from post eight.
Also set to line up for the Mamzelle are Snappy Comeback and jockey Junior Alvarado, Final Accord with Jose Ortiz aboard, Sonny Leon rides Thank You Amy, Hen Party with Flavien Prat up, Florent Geroux rides Snow Face Princess, Gigabit will have William Antongeorgi III in the irons and Brian Hernandez Jr. takes the reins on Blushing Justice.
Return to the April 29 issue of Wire to Wire
