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The Matron Stakes is a race for two-year-old thoroughbred fillies that takes place each year at Belmont Park. A Grade I event until 2007 when it will be down-graded to a Grade II, it's run at seven furlongs on the dirt for a purse of $250,000.
In 2006, it was in its 100th renewal. Before 1902, it was also open to colts and run in two divisions, one for colts and one for fillies. After 1915, it was strictly for fillies.
The race took place at the old Morris Park prior to 1905, then at Pimlico Race Course by special arrangements in 19l0. Aqueduct Racetrack held it in l960 and from 1962 to 1968. It was not run at all from 1895 to 1898, from 1911 to 1913, or from 1915 to 1922. Once run over a straight course before 1959 (except for 1941), it was also set at six furlongs prior to 1972. Then it went off at a distance of seven furlongs from 1972 to 1993. Between 1994 to 2004 it was run at a mile. Now it's back to seven furlongs.
In all of the runnings of the Matron since the first two year old filly championship was voted in 1938, there have been 25 Matron winners who have gone on to be voted two year old filly champion.
Because it occurs in September the race is a major prep race to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. In effect, it is a filly counterpart to the Belmont Futurity Stakes. In all of the runnings of the Matron since the first two-year-old filly championship was voted in 1938, there have been 24 Matron winners who have gone on to be voted two-year-old filly champion.
La Prevoyante won the Matron in 1972, Cicada in 1961, Bed o'Roses in 1949, Busher in 1944, Top Flight in 1931, the colt Colin in 1907, and the colt Domino in 1893.
[edit] Past winners
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- 1952 - Is Proud (Conn McCreary)
- 1951 - Rose Jet (Hedley Woodhouse)
- 1950 - Atlanta (Hedley Woodhouse)
- 1949 - Bed o'Roses (Eric Guerin)
- 1948 - Myrtle Charm (Ted Atkinson)
- 1947 - Inheritance (Job Dean Jessop)
- 1946 - First Flight (Eddie Arcaro)
- 1945 - Beaugay (Arnold Kirlkand)
- 1944 - Busher (Eddie Arcaro)
- 1943 - Boojiana (Ted Atkinson)
- 1942 - Good Morning (Herb Lindberg)
- 1941 - Petrify (Roberto Donoso)
- 1940 - Misty Isle (Wayne D. Wright)
- 1939 - Miss Ferdinand (Jack Westrope)
- 1938 - Dinner Date (Alfred Robertson)
- 1937 - Merry Lassie (Johnny Longden)
- 1936 - Wand (Harry Richards)
- 1935 - Beanie M. (Don Meade)
- 1934 - Nellie Flag (Eddie Arcaro)
- 1933 - High Glee (John Gilbert)
- 1932 - Barn Swallow (Eugene James)
- 1931 - Top Flight (Raymond Workman)
- 1930 - Baba Kenny (J. Smith)
- 1929 - Dustemall (Linus McAtee)
- 1928 - Dreadnaught (Steve O'Donnell)
- 1927 - Glade (E. Ellis)
- 1926 - Pantella (Linus McAtee)
- 1925 - Taps (Albert Johnson)
- 1924 - Blue Warbler (D. Hurn)
- 1923 - Tree Top (Frank Coltiletti)
- 1914 - Charles Maid (f) (John McTaggart)
- 1914 - Pebbles (c) (James H. Butwell)
- 1910 - Bashti (f) (C. Gilbert)
- 1910 - Naushon (c) (J. Glassy)
- 1909 - Greenvale (f) (C. Gilbert)
- 1909 - Radium Star (g) (J. Creevy)
- 1908 - Maskette (f) ([[Joe Notter]])
- 1908 - Helmet (c) (Joe Notter)
- 1907 - Stamina (f) (Willie Knapp)
- 1907 - Colin (c) (Walter Miller)
- 1906 - Adoration (f) (Walter Miller)
- 1906 - Ballot (c) (Herman Radtke)
- 1905 - Perverse (f) (Lucien Lyne)
- 1905 - Burgomaster (c) (Lucien Lyne)
- 1904 - Sandria (f) (Gene Hildebrand)
- 1904 - Bedouin (g) (W. Shaw)
- 1903 - Armenia (f) (W. Hicks)
- 1903 - The Minute Man (c) (Frank O'Neill)
- 1902 - Eugenia Burch (f) (George M. Odom)
- 1902 - Grey Friar (g) (Nash Turner)
- 1901 - Heno (George M. Odom)
- 1900 - Beau Gallant (John Bullman)
- 1899 - Indian Fairy (J. Slack)
- 1894 - Agitator (Fred Taral)
- 1893 - Domino (Fred Taral)
- 1892 - Sir Francis (Edward R. Garrison)
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