# Sugar Swirl Stakes

The Sugar Swirl Stakes is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are three years old or older, over a distance of 6 furlongs on the dirt track held annually in December at Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event currently carries a purse of $140,000.

## History

The event is named in honor of the Canadian bred mare Sugar Swirl who was owned by Stronach Stables. The Stronach Group are the owners of Gulfstream Park where this event is held.
The race was inaugurated in 1981 and the event was run as the First Lady Handicap. At that time the event was held in January and the conditions of the race were for fillies and mares that were four years old or older.
In 2008 Sugar Swirl won this event and in 2010 the event was renamed to the Sugar Swirl Stakes. The event was moved to December in 2011 and there were two runnings of the event that year.
In 2024 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Listed status.

## Records

Speed record:
* 6 furlongs: 1:08.66 – Dust and Diamonds (2012)
Margins:
* 6+3⁄4 lengths – Lady's Island (2019)
Most wins:
* 2 - Harmony Lodge (2003, 2004)
* 2 - Lady's Island (2019, 2020)

### Most wins by a jockey

* 6 – Javier Castellano (2006, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2018)
* 6 – John R. Velazquez (2002, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015)

### Most wins by a trainer

* 4 – Todd A. Pletcher (2003, 2004, 2009, 2012)

### Most wins by an owner

* 2 – Edward P. Evans (1992, 2002)
* 2 – Eugene & Laura Melnyk (2003, 2004)
* 2 – Matties Racing Stable & Averill Racing (2019, 2020)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| Sugar Swirl Stakes |||||||||||
| 2024 | Mystic Lake | 4 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Saffie Joseph Jr. | C2 Racing Stable & Stefania Farms | 6 furlongs | 1:11.20 | $133,000 | Listed | |
| 2023 | Spirit Wind | 4 | Jose L. Ortiz | Carlos David | Jacks or Better Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:10.58 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2022 | Frank's Rockette | 5 | Luis Saez | William I. Mott | Frank Fletcher Racing Operations | 6 furlongs | 1:09.63 | $125,000 | III | |
| 2021 | Center Aisle | 4 | Luis Saez | Paulo Lobo | OXO Equine | 6 furlongs | 1:09.54 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2020 | Lady's Island | 6 | Emisael Jaramillo | Georgina Baxter | Matties Racing Stable & Averill Racing | 6 furlongs | 1:10.46 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2019 | Lady's Island | 5 | Emisael Jaramillo | Georgina Baxter | Matties Racing Stable & Averill Racing | 6 furlongs | 1:10.75 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2018 | Dream Pauline | 3 | Javier Castellano | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Stonestreet Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:11.10 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2017 | Rich Mommy | 3 | Luis Saez | Victor Barboza Jr. | Winds of Change Racing Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:10.44 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2016 | Dearest | 3 | Edgard J. Zayas | Gilberto Zerpa | Gelfenstein Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:09.59 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2015 | Best Behavior | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Martin D. Wolfson | Miller Racing | 6 furlongs | 1:09.69 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2014 | Merry Meadow | 4 | Javier Castellano | Mark A. Hennig | David S. Howe & William Parsons | 6 furlongs | 1:10.29 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2013 | Heart Stealer | 3 | Javier Castellano | Martin D. Wolfson | Peachtree Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:09.49 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2012 | Dust and Diamonds | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Gorges Torrealba Hldgs. & Three Chimneys Farms | 6 furlongs | 1:08.66 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2011† | Pomeroys Pistol | 3 | Javier Castellano | Amy Tarrant | Hardacre Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:09.35 | $100,000 | III | December |
| 2011 | Tar Heel Mom | 6 | Alan Garcia | Stanley M. Hough | Alex Rankin | 6 furlongs | 1:09.75 | $100,000 | III | January |
| 2010 | Pretty Prolific | 4 | Edgar S. Prado | James E. Baker | Tom R. Walters | 6 furlongs | 1:10.75 | $100,000 | III | |
| First Lady Stakes |||||||||||
| 2009 | Game Face | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Zabeel Racing International | 6 furlongs | 1:10.57 | $100,000 | III | |
| First Lady Handicap |||||||||||
| 2008 | Sugar Swirl | 5 | Javier Castellano | Brian A. Lynch | Stronach Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:10.06 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2007 | Any Limit | 4 | Rafael Bejarano | H. Allen Jerkens | Joseph V. Shields, Jr | 6 furlongs | 1:10.58 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2006 | Smokey Glacken | 5 | Javier Castellano | James A. Jerkens | Susan & John Moore | 6 furlongs | 1:09.98 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2005 | Savorthetime | 6 | John R. Velazquez | Steven M. Asmussen | Brenda & Philip Robertson | 6 furlongs | 1:09.21 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2004 | Harmony Lodge | 6 | Richard Migliore | Todd A. Pletcher | Eugene & Laura Melnyk | 6 furlongs | 1:09.64 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2003 | Harmony Lodge | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Eugene & Laura Melnyk | 6 furlongs | 1:10.31 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2002 | Raging Fever | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Mark A. Hennig | Edward P. Evans | 6 furlongs | 1:10.36 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2001 | Another | 4 | Edgar S. Prado | Thomas Victor Smith | Robert E. Masterson | 6 furlongs | 1:10.41 | $117,000 | III | |
| 2000 | Hurricane Bertie | 5 | Pat Day | Bernard S. Flint | Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein | 6 furlongs | 1:10.22 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1999 | Scotzanna | 7 | Richard Migliore | Michael Wright Jr. | Bruno Schickedanz | 6 furlongs | 1:10.17 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1998 | U Can Do It | 4 | Shane Sellers | Larry Pilotti | Carina & Frank Marano | 6 furlongs | 1:09.86 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1997 | Chip | 4 | Joe Bravo | Sonny Hine | Carolyn H. Hine | 6 furlongs | 1:09.76 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1996 | Chaposa Springs | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | Martin D. Wolfson | Suresh Chintamanen | 6 furlongs | 1:10.23 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1995 | Recognizable | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Mills Phipps | 6 furlongs | 1:09.74 | $50,000 | III | |
| 1994 | Santa Catalina | 6 | Jerry D. Bailey | Mark A. Hennig | Team Valor | 6 furlongs | 1:11.26 | $50,000 | III | |
| 1993 | Si Si Sezyou | 3 | Ruben Hernandez | Robert A. Hale | Anne Yates | 6 furlongs | 1:10.06 | $50,000 | III | |
| 1992 | Withallprobability | 4 | Craig Perret | D. Wayne Lukas | Edward P. Evans | 6 furlongs | 1:11.14 | $50,000 | Listed | |
| 1991 | Spirit of Fighter | 8 | José A. Vélez Jr. | Daniel C. Hurtak | Daniel C. Hurtak & Dennis G. Punches | 6 furlongs | 1:11.70 | $50,000 | Listed | |
| First Lady Breeders' Cup Handicap |||||||||||
| 1990 | Sez Fourty | 4 | Miguel A. Gonzalez | Luis Olivares | Marissa Olivares & Three G Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:11.20 | $45,940 | Listed | |
| First Lady Handicap |||||||||||
| 1989 | Waggley | 6 | Jean-Luc Samyn | Sonny Hine | Scott C. Savin | 6 furlongs | 1:11.00 | $45,480 | Listed | |
| 1988 | Funistrada | 5 | Walter Guerra | J. Bert Sonnier | Jamie S. Carrion | 6 furlongs | 1:10.20 | $48,720 | Listed | |
| 1987 | One Fine Lady | 5 | Roger Danjean | Pedro J. Sobarzo | Larry Foggle | 6 furlongs | 1:10.40 | $40,075 | Listed | |
| 1986 | Sugar's Image | 5 | José A. Vélez Jr. | Happy Alter | Alter's Racing Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:11.20 | $49,560 | | |
| 1985 | Nany | 5 | Gene St. Leon | Richard R. Root | Harry T. Mangurian Jr. | 6 furlongs | 1:09.80 | $48,920 | | |
| 1984 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1983 | Prime Prospect | 5 | Donald MacBeth | Stanley M. Hough | Diana M. Firestone | 6 furlongs | 1:10.80 | $40,470 | | |
| 1982 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1981 | Island Charm | 4 | Jorge Velásquez | Stephen A. DiMauro | David A. McKibbin | 6 furlongs | 1:10.60 | $37,560 | | |
Notes:
† Gulfstream Park administration moved the event to earlier in their 2011–12 meeting from January to December. Hence, there were two runnings of the event in the calendar year (2011)