By Jill Williams
'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Cy Fair (f, 3, Not This Time–Remarqued, by Arch) is a big fan of showing her best during the sport's biggest weeks. Following a scintillating win in last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over the boys, the bay filly signaled her return as a headliner with a commanding win Thursday of Derby Week at Churchill Downs in the GIII Mamzelle Stakes. In winning, she beat the reopposing Slay the Day (Into Mischief), who spoiled Cy Fair's sophomore campaign kickoff nearly three weeks ago at Keeneland in the GIII FanDuel Limestone Stakes. Cy Fair yielded to third that day, beaten less than a length, after leading as the even-money favorite. It was a different story at Churchill on “Thurby.”
The 4-5 choice to return to the winner's circle in the Mamzelle, Cy Fair bided her time early in fifth as Midnight Martini (Yaupon) and Thank You Amy (Street Boss) battled up front through :22.11 and :45.12 fractions. Slay the Day loomed on the turn with her sights set on the leaders as Cy Fair tracked her intently. The George Weaver trainee hooked up with Slay the Day in the lane, giving the Limestone winner all she could handle in a ding-dong battle before pulling away by a length late to cruise under the wire in 1:01.90 for the 5 1/2 furlongs on the lawn. Slay the Day held second while Turfway's Serena's Song Stakes winner Hen Party (Into Mischief) closed for third.
“George [Weaver] said, 'Don't be on the lead,'” said winning jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. “Last time I went to the front and we got beat. This time I took a hold on her out of the gate. She was pulling hard but I had her. Then I cut her loose and she went just like she was supposed to.”
Swinbank Stables picked up Cy Fair for $185,000 at last year's OBS Spring sale, unveiling her in a driving finish and 'TDN Rising Star' performance on debut July 10 at Saratoga. Medallion Racing, Joey Platts, and Mark Stanton came on board just in time for Cy Fair to finish second by a neck to Snow Face Princess (Midshipman)–who was fifth in the Mamzelle–in the Bolton Landing Stakes a month later. Cy Fair regrouped, adding the Bet365 Algonquin Stakes and the Breeders' Cup in quick succession to close out her year. An Eclipse finalist, Cy Fair got run down late in the Limestone in her first start in nearly 5 1/2 months. In hindsight, that race efficiently knocked any rust off and set her up nicely for the Mamzelle.
Cy Fair gets a celebratory pat from Irad Ortiz, Jr. | Renee Torbit/Coady Media
Pedigree Notes:
Going into the Kentucky Derby and Oaks weekend, Taylor Made's Not This Time holds a significant lead–strengthened by Magnitude's G1 Dubai World Cup score–atop the current list of leading North American sires by earnings. Much could change over the next few days of racing, as his two biggest rivals on the sires list have major players over the weekend, but so does Not This Time. The son of Giant's Causeway, who sends his seventh crop of 2-year-olds to the races this year, has 39 graded winners and 73 black-type winners.
Marc Keller bought Remarqued, Cy Fair's dam, at the 2015 OBS yearling sale for $320,000. When Cy Fair was a freshly minted 2-year-old, he sold the mare at the 2025 Keeneland January sale for $225,000 to Hickory Grove Farm, who capitalized on Cy Fair's success later in the year by selling the mare again 10 months later at Keeneland's November sale. Steven W. Young bought her for $1.2 million and also bought her Omaha Beach yearling filly, now named Channel Crossing, for $400,000 at Keeneland September, while MWG bought her Nyquist weanling filly at the Keeneland November sale for $750,000. Remarqued, who foaled a Nyquist colt Apr. 17, is a half-sister to multiple Royal Ascot winner Crimson Advocate (Nyquist) from the same family as 2017 champion 2-year-old filly Caledonia Road (Quality Road).
CY FAIR turned onto the stretch and found the way to the finish with @iradortiz. #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/scFITpvXfn
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 30, 2026
Thursday, Churchill Downs
MAMZELLE S. PRESENTED BY KENTUCKY PROUD-GIII, $299,250, Churchill Downs, 4-30, 3yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.90, fm.
1–CY FAIR, 122, f, 3, by Not This Time
1st Dam: Remarqued, by Arch
2nd Dam: Citizen Advocate, by Proud Citizen
3rd Dam: Twilight Service, by Horse Chestnut (Saf)
'TDN Rising Star'. ($185,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-Medallion
Racing, Swinbank Stables LLC, Joey Platts and Mark Stanton;
B-Marc Keller (KY); T-George Weaver; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
$178,800. Lifetime Record: GISW, 6-4-1-1, $892,255. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Slay the Day, 122, f, 3, Into Mischief–Mind Out, by Tapit.
($170,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Flying Dutchmen Breeding and
Racing LLC; B-Pin Oak Stud, LLC (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch. $58,000.
3–Hen Party, 118, f, 3, Into Mischief–Fair Maiden, by Street
Boss. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Eoin G.
Harty. $29,000.
Margins: 1, 2 1/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.99, 2.16, 7.19.
Also Ran: Final Accord, Snow Face Princess, Snappy Comeback, Ifyousaidso, Midnight Martini, Thank You Amy. Scratched: Blushing Justice, Gigabit. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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