Yaupon’s Brickyard Belle on to Breeders’ Cup after Matron S. (G3) victory
October 3, 2026
Brickyard Belle unleashed a devastating kick to run down Harper’s Corner in the final strides of Saturday’s $200,000 Matron S. (G3) at Belmont Park, earning the 2-year-old Yaupon filly her first stakes win and a trip to the Breeders’ Cup later this month at Keeneland.
The dark bay filly is the seventh graded winner and 15th overall stakes winner this year for Yaupon, the nation’s leading Second-Crop sire with nearly $8 million in progeny earnings.
Brickyard Belle needed every bit of the six furlongs for her first stakes win. After breaking from post 1 she settled in along the fence with just one horse beat through a quarter-mile. She continued to be bottled up along the rail and behind horses around the turn, then swung some five-wide for clear running at the top of the stretch. She gobbled up ground and flew past horses to win by half-length.
“She was very impressive today,” winning trainer Miguel Clement said. “Not many fillies can make up six or seven lengths in the stretch like she did. I’m just very thankful to the connections for sending her our way. To be honest, a lot of credit needs to be given to Case Clay. He picked her out at the sale, and he was bold enough to make the partnership take place. In Case we trust.”
Brickyard Belle, a $600,000 OBS April 2-year-old, was named a TDN ‘Rising Star’ after her Aug. 27 debut win and is now a perfect 2-for-2 with earnings of $173,250 for owners Brickyard Belle Racing, Beggs and Flowers and Briles Family Stable. She was bred in Kentucky by Hall Racing LLC.