Free as a Bird ready to rebound in Unbridled Sidney

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Before Churchill Downs began clustering all its stakes into the big-event colossus that the two-day Kentucky Derby weekend has become, a turf sprint for fillies and mares, known as the Mamzelle Stakes, formerly was run on the Thursday of Derby week.

The Mamzelle is now defunct, but a $65,000 race held the Saturday after the Derby essentially has taken its place: the Unbridled Sidney, named for the Ronny Werner-trained standout who earned $680,380 specializing in turf sprints in the mid-2000s. The latest renewal of the Unbridled Sidney drew a solid lineup, with Free as a Bird looking to get back to her winning ways when facing nine others in the five-furlong race.

Starting one year ago this weekend, Free as a Bird embarked on a six-race win streak, all in ungraded turf sprint stakes, before finally tasting defeat when finishing fourth as the favorite in the Giant’s Causeway last month at Keeneland. Chris Landeros has been named to replace Joel Rosario, who had ridden the mare in her last eight starts.

“I feel like she’s back on her game and ready to win again,” said Ian Wilkes, who trains 6-year-old Free as a Bird for owner-breeder Elizabeth Valando.

Katie’s Eyes, the 13-1 winner of the Giant’s Causeway for trainer Mike Stidham, is foremost among the opposition, along with the uncoupled Wesley Ward duo of Richies Party Girl and Shrinking Violet.

The Unbridled Sidney is carded as the fifth of 11 races on a good card that includes three allowances (races 4, 8, 10). First post is 12:45 p.m. Eastern, with the feature set for 2:45.

Unbridled Sidney, race 5

KEY CONTENDERS

Free as a Bird (Last 3 Beyers: 83-88-93)

Her eye-catching comeback victory on March 18 at Gulfstream Park was followed by a semi-flat effort in the April 11 Giant’s Causeway.

Wilkes: “I might have run her back a little quick at Keeneland after she ran so big at Gulfstream off the layoff. But she’s had two nice works since that last race and is really coming into this the right way.”

Katie’s Eyes (Last 3 Beyers: 95-82-80)

Before the Giant’s Causeway, the top prior accomplishment for this 4-year-old turf-bred filly was winning a modest stakes at Fair Grounds early in her 3-year-old season, so she’s being asked to validate that pricey upset by running another big one here.

Shrinking Violet (Last 3 Beyers: 95-85-85)

The Ward-owned mare has gone unraced since posting a 10-1 triumph in the Grade 2 Monrovia “down the hill” in early January at Santa Anita under Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, who retains the mount.

Richies Party Girl (Last 3 Beyers: 45-88-53)

This in-and-out sort will have to run one of her better efforts to be a player here, such as when she won ungraded stakes at Belmont last spring and at Kentucky Downs last fall.