The Great Lady M Stakes is a

Grade II In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

American

Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

for

fillies A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, th ...

and

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equidae, equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more th ...

s age three and older run over a distance of six and one half

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...

s on the dirt held annually in July at

Los Alamitos Race Course Los Alamitos Race Course is a horse racing track in Cypress, California. The track hosts both thoroughbred and quarter horse racing. The track has the distinction of holding four quarter horse stakes races with purses over $1 million, more than ...

Cypress, California Cypress is a city in northwestern Orange County, California. Its population was 50,151 as of the 2020 census. History Cypress originally was nicknamed "Waterville" due to the preponderance of artesian wells in the area, but was incorporated ...

History

The event was inaugurated on 14 June 1941 as the Sequoia Handicap at

Hollywood Park Racetrack Hollywood Park was a thoroughbred horse racing, race course located in Inglewood, California, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and adjacent to The Forum (Inglewood, California), the Forum indoor arena. In 1994, t ...

and was easily won by movie mogul

Louis B. Mayer Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1884Mayer maintained that he was born in Minsk on July 4, 1885. According to Scott Eyman, the reasons may have been: * Mayer's father gave different dates for his birthplace at different times, so ...

owned filly Painted Veil in a time of 1:23 for the 7 furlong distance. During World War II the event was not run in 1942 and 1943 returning in 1944 in November as an event for two-year-old fillies over 6 furlongs. After the conclusion of the World War II the event was held in September in 1945. In 1946

won the event for the third time with his three-year-old filly

Honeymoon A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds after their wedding to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase in a couple ...

winning. The event was not held from 1947 through 1958. From 1959 the event was either held in April or in late May. The event was reclassified as Grade III in 1986 and was upgraded to Grade II in 1990. In 1979 the event was renamed to the A Gleam Handicap in honor of

Calumet Farm Calumet Farm is a Thoroughbred breeding and training farm established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by William Monroe Wright, founding owner of the Calumet Baking Powder Company. Calumet is located in the heart of the Bluegrass ...

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States ...

, A Gleam, whose five stakes wins in 1952 is the co-record for most stakes race wins in a single meet at Hollywood Park including the

Milady Handicap The Adoration Stakes is a discontinued American Thoroughbred horse race that was run annually during May at Santa Anita Park. The event was open to fillies and mares, age three and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. The ...

in record time., A Gleam was voted Hollywood Park's 1952 "Horse of the Meet." In 2009, Evita Argentina became the first 3-year-old to win the A Gleam Handicap since Honeymoon did it in 1946. With the closure of Hollywood Park Racetrack in 2013 the event was moved

and renamed to the Great Lady M Stakes in honor of the mare Great Lady M who won the 1980 A Gleam Handicap in an upset. Great Lady M earlier had equalled the track record winning the 1979 Orange Coast Handicap at Los Alamitos Race Course over 6 furlongs in 1:09. Great Lady M's success was more evident off the track as she was the dam of 1986 United States Horse of the Year Lady's Secret. In 2021, the 2020 US Female Sprint Champion

Gamine The gamine is a popular archetype of a slim, often boyish, elegant young woman who is described as mischievous or teasing, popularized in film and fashion from the turn of the 20th century through to the 1950s. The word ''gamine'' is a French wo ...

, set a new winning margin by ten lengths defeating four other runners as the short 1/5 odds-on favorite. In 2024, Sweet Azteca set a new track record for the –furlong distance winning by five lengths.

Records

Speed record: * furlongs: 1:14.33 – Sweet Azteca (2024) (Track record) * 7 furlongs: 1:20.40 – A. P. Assay (1998) (Equaled track record) Margins: * 10 lengths –

(2021) Most wins: * 2 – Marley's Freedom (2018, 2019) * 2 – Somethinaboutlaura (2006, 2007) * 2 –

Linita Linita (foaled March 25, 1957) was an American Thoroughbred racing mare in California. Background Linita was a chestnut mare bred and raced by Angelo and Herman Corradini in partnership with George Dorney, she was trained by Clyde Turk througho ...

(1961, 1963) Most wins by an owner: * 3 –

(1941, 1944, 1946) * 3 – John G. Sikura (in partnership 2006, 2007, 2011) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 7 – Gary Stevens (1986, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2005) Most wins by a trainer: * 7 –

Bob Baffert Robert A. Baffert (born January 13, 1953) is an American racehorse trainer. He has trained two Triple Crown winners: American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018. Baffert's horses have won the Kentucky Derby six times, tying the record with ...

(2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023)

Winners

''Legend:''

''Notes:''
† The event in 1985 was an exhibition race with four entries that had no wagering.
§ Ran as part of an entry

External links

2012 Hollywood Park Media Guide

Ten Things You Should Know About the A Gleam Handicap at Hello Race Fans!

References

{{Reflist, 2 Graded stakes races in the United States Grade 2 stakes races in the United States Horse races in California Sprint category horse races for fillies and mares Horse races established in 1941 Breeders' Cup Challenge series 1941 establishments in California Los Alamitos, California

History

Records

Winners

See also

External links

References