Michael Dubb’s Yolo Train made an impressive debut and is now stepping up to face stiffer competition in Saturday’s $200,000 Matron (G3), a six-furlong turf sprint on the inner course at Belmont Park for 2-year-old fillies.
Conditioned by Chad Brown, Yolo Train broke from the farthest outside post 9 in a restricted 5 1/2-furlong maiden auction race at Saratoga on August 12. After a half-mile split of :44.57, the bay filly by Jack Christopher took control effortlessly and won by four lengths over Sea Isle City, who later won her next start, finishing in a final time of 1:02.49.
Before her debut, Yolo Train trained at Monmouth Park and continued her preparation with a recent work in :48.75 over Belmont Park’s main track on September 25. Brown commented, “She had been training beautifully at Monmouth, and my team did a fantastic job. I always felt she was a turf horse, and she gave me that impression from the start. Starting her here was the right call, and she certainly did not disappoint.”
Yolo Train, carrying post 8 with jockey Flavien Prat, was purchased for $65,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She is out of Rue de l’Ange, a winning mare by Street Sense, with her second dam being Grade 3 winner Georgie’s Angel—also the dam of dual Grade 1 winner Cave Rock.
Another strong contender is Virginia-bred Royal Companion [post 7, Kendrick Carmouche], owned by Little River Run Racing and trained by Michael Trombetta. This War of Will filly is unbeaten on turf, including a 2 3/4-length victory in the state-bred Dolley Madison at Colonial Downs on August 29 over 5 1/2 furlongs. She previously won at the same track and distance by 4 1/2 lengths in her second start after finishing fourth on the Colonial main track.
“She’s a quality filly who listens well and is peaking at the right moment,” Trombetta said.
Royal Companion is out of Not My Money, a City Zip mare who placed in stakes and is a half-sister to Repo Rocks, a dual Grade 3 winner and millionaire who won Belmont’s Grade 3 Westchester in 2023.
Harper’s Corner [post 3, Paco Lopez], owned by Charles Biggs and trained by Cathal Lynch, switches to turf after starting her career on dirt. This Speaker’s Corner filly impressed by winning her five-furlong debut at Laurel Park in June before posting a 5 1/4-length score in the six-furlong Schuylerville (L) at Saratoga on July 3. She most recently was a front-running second to the well-regarded Summer Starlet in the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga on September 5. Harper’s Corner was bought for $70,000 at the OBS Spring Sale after clocking a sharp work in :10 1/5. She is out of Toscana (Speightstown), with a damline featuring Nikkis Smartypants, a Grade 3 turf winner and three-time synthetic track victor.
More Champagne [post 2, Edgard Zayas], racing for StarLadies Racing and others and trained by Tom Morley, won her five-and-a-half furlong debut by 6 1/2 lengths at Keeneland in April. She was unplaced in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot and finished fifth in the Listed Bolton Landing in August at Saratoga.
Side Quest [post 6, Ricardo Santana Jr.], owned by Pivotal Racing and partners and trained by Will Walden, was the favorite in the Bolton Landing where she finished sixth after chasing early positions. The Charlatan filly previously broke her maiden on turf by 5 3/4 lengths in a maiden auction race at Saratoga in July, earning a career-best 87 Beyer Speed Figure.
Completing the field are Almighty One [post 4, Jose Lezcano], a stakes-placed runner trained by Kevin Rice, along with maiden victors Medinah [post 5, Dylan Davis] for Mark Casse and Brickyard Belle [post 1, Manny Franco] under Miguel Clement.
Fan Take: This upcoming Matron Stakes features several promising young fillies making key early statements—offering horse racing fans a glimpse at potential future stars. Performances here could signal the rising talent that will shape turf sprinting divisions for years to come, making it a must-watch event for those invested in the sport’s next generation.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
