Michael Stidham

Horse racing has been in Mike Stidham’s blood since birth, his father a jockey and later a trainer on the East Coast. Stidham helped out in his fathers barn and initially had dreams of veterinary medicine, eventually deciding instead to become a trainer like his father. Stidham took out his training license at age 21 and won his first graded stakes in 1988 with Manzotti.
Stidham has since trained top horses including Two Altazano, Tizaqueena, Upperline, Willcox Inn and Istanford. Stidham added a Grade 1 success in 2015 with Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner Her Emmynency. Zipessa added a Grade 1 win for Stidham in 2017 when she scored in the First Lady Stakes at Keeneland.
In recent years, Stidham has trained multiple graded stakes winners Synchrony and Alms and, in 2021, he won the $12 million Dubai World Cup with Mystic Guide.