What is the Great Lady M. Stakes?
The Great Lady M. Stakes is a Grade II Thoroughbred race held annually at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, California. Contested at 6½ furlongs on the dirt for fillies and mares aged three and older, it is one of the premier distaff sprint tests on the West Coast and a key summer benchmark for top fillies and mares targeting the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. The race was inaugurated in 1941 as the Sequoia Handicap at Hollywood Park and was later renamed the A Gleam Handicap in 1979. Following the closure of Hollywood Park in 2013, the race moved to Los Alamitos Race Course and was renamed the Great Lady M. Stakes in honor of the mare Great Lady M, who won the 1980 A Gleam Handicap and later became the dam of 1986 Horse of the Year Lady's Secret. Trainer Bob Baffert has dominated the modern era with seven wins, including Gamine's record 10-length victory in 2021. Sweet Azteca set and then broke her own track record for the distance in back-to-back editions in 2024 and 2025.
When is the Great Lady M. Stakes in 2026?
The 2026 Great Lady M. Stakes is scheduled for early July at Los Alamitos Race Course as part of the Los Angeles County Fair meet. Contested at 6½ furlongs on the dirt with a purse of $200,000, the race draws the top older fillies and mares on the West Coast targeting the summer distaff sprint championship circuit.
Great Lady M. Stakes History & Notable Winners
Sweet Azteca has dominated the recent renewals of the Great Lady M., setting back-to-back track records for the 6½-furlong distance. Sweet Azteca defeated fellow Grade 1 winner Kopion in 2025 under Juan Hernandez for trainer Richard Baltas, bettering her own track record in 1:14.32. The year before, Sweet Azteca won by five lengths under Hernandez for trainer Michael McCarthy in 1:14.33, eclipsing the previous mark of 1:14.49 set by Finest City in 2016. Eda gave trainer Bob Baffert his seventh Great Lady M. win in 2023, edging away from a stubborn field under Hernandez in 1:15.06 after a 13-month layoff. Becca Taylor gave owner-breeder Nick Alexander and trainer Steve Miyadi a 2022 victory, the homebred filly extending her unbeaten record. Gamine delivered the most dominant performance in the race's modern history in 2021, winning by an astonishing 10 lengths as the heavy odds-on favorite for Baffert.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sweet Azteca | Juan Hernandez | 1:14.32* |
| 2024 | Sweet Azteca | Juan Hernandez | 1:14.33* |
| 2023 | Eda | Juan Hernandez | 1:15.06 |
| 2022 | Becca Taylor | Juan Hernandez | 1:15.25 |
| 2021 | Gamine | John R. Velazquez | 1:14.98 |
* Track record at 6½ furlongs.
The Great Lady M. Stakes is one of the premier distaff sprints on the West Coast and a key summer benchmark for top older fillies and mares each July.
