As $500,000 grade 1 races for 2-year-olds on dirt, the Champagne Stakes (G1) and Frizette Stakes (G1) command the spotlight Oct. 4 at Belmont Park, but four stakes on grass for juveniles serve as stellar supporting acts.
Two of them, the Pilgrim (G2T) and Miss Grillo (G2T) stakes, carry purses of $250,000 and serve as qualifiers for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Keeneland, respectively. The two 1 1/16-mile grass races are part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, as is one of the other stakes, the $200,000 Futurity (G3T), which awards its winner a paid, automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T).
Even without a guaranteed berth, the $200,000 Matron Stakes (G3T) could also propel a filly or two into the Breeders' Cup. Fillies are often suited to matchups against males when sprinting on the grass.
Hot Prospect High Official Back on His Best Surface
Having drawn a deep and competitive field, the Pilgrim is the last of 11 races on the Saturday card. It features two starters from Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who seeks a record-extending seventh victory in the race.
Likely to be the more supported of his runners with bettors is High Official, a homebred for Lawana and Robert Low, who returns to turf after a disappointing try when shifted from turf to dirt for the prestigious Hopeful Stakes (G1) Sept. 6 at Saratoga. The son of Not This Time won his July 26 debut at Saratoga going 1 1/16 miles on turf, rallying from fifth to score by 2 lengths, a performance that made him a BloodHorse Maiden Watch Hot Prospect. His connections chose to pass the With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) with him.
"The same ownership group had (eventual winner) Liam's Law for the With Anticipation and High Official had been training so well on the dirt that we felt it was worth giving him a try," Pletcher said. "It didn't work out the way we'd hoped, but he's come back and trained well, and we look forward to getting him back on the turf."
Pletcher also sends out Resolute Racing's Stock Rising, a $1.5 million Keeneland September Yearling Sale Purchase and half brother to grade 1 winner Golden Pal . A maiden, he ran third on debut, beaten 2 lengths by Stuart Janney III's Pilgrim entrant Pass On By, trained by Shug McGaughey.
Stock Rising isn't the only maiden with a fighting chance in the race. Amo Racing's Dover Street is sent to Belmont Park from Britain, where he twice ran second in three starts. One of those runner-up finishes came in graded company. The Richard Hannon Jr. trainee has been slowed by tardy starts.
Belmont Park, Saturday, October 3, 2026, Race 11Entries: Pilgrim S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Chief of Peace (KY) Manuel Franco 122 Miguel Clement - 2 House of War (NY) Antonio Fresu 122 Jorge R. Abreu - 3 Kipros (KY) Dylan Davis 122 Raymond Handal - 4 Roscoe Goose (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 122 Riley Mott - 5 Pass On By (KY) Jose Lezcano 122 Claude R. McGaughey III - 6 Blaring Ambition (KY) Christopher Elliott 122 Michael J. Maker - 7 Stock Rising (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 122 Todd A. Pletcher - 8 And the Runner Is (KY) Reylu Gutierrez 122 Mark E. Casse - 9 Berta's Stitch (KY) Jose Antonio Gomez 122 John P. Terranova II - 10 High Official (KY) Flavien Prat 122 Todd A. Pletcher - 11 Dover Street (IRE) Paco Lopez 122 Richard Hannon Jr. - 12 Let Em Know (KY) Edgard J. Zayas 122 D. Whitworth Beckman -
Natalma Runners May Hold Class Edge in Miss Grillo
Two of the competitors in the Miss Grillo, Race 7, come off close losses in the Sept. 12 Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine: fourth-place Bounce Back and fifth-place Runaway Bride. They lost by 1 1/2 lengths and 2 lengths, respectively.
Gary Barber's Bounce Back, one of two entrants for trainer Mark Casse, made up considerable ground after a sluggish start. This followed a runner-up finish in a turf sprint when she raced greenly on debut, after which Casse added blinkers.
The Hall of Fame conditioner also runs Brad Smith's Golden Siren, who cruised on the lead in her second start in a Saratoga maiden race after a debut second there.
Klaravich Stable's Domestic Agenda won her debut at the 1 1/16-mile distance on the Saratoga grass and gives trainer Chad Brown an opportunity for a record-extending 10th Miss Grillo victory.
Entries: Matron S. (G3T)
Belmont Park, Saturday, October 3, 2026, Race 6
- Grade III
- 6f
- Inner turf
- $200,000
- 2 yo Fillies
- 2:50 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brickyard Belle (KY) | Manuel Franco | 122 | Miguel Clement | - |
| 2 | More Champagne (FL) | Edgard J. Zayas | 122 | Thomas Morley | - |
| 3 | Harper's Corner (KY) | Paco Lopez | 122 | Cathal A. Lynch | - |
| 4 | Almighty One (KY) | Jose Lezcano | 122 | Kevin Rice | - |
| 5 | Medinah (KY) | Dylan Davis | 122 | Mark E. Casse | - |
| 6 | Side Quest (KY) | Ricardo Santana, Jr. | 122 | William Walden | - |
| 7 | Royal Companion (VA) | Kendrick Carmouche | 122 | Michael J. Trombetta | - |
| 8 | Yolo Train (KY) | Flavien Prat | 122 | Chad C. Brown | - |
Kentucky Downs Runners Prominent in Futurity
The Futurity offers a mix of runners that made their previous starts at various tracks around the country, including some during the lucrative Kentucky Downs meeting. Several exit stakes there, while Just Joe comes off a maiden triumph at the southern Kentucky track.
George Weaver, known for his success with turf sprinters, trains Just Joe for Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, and Steve and Andrew Adkisson. The Uncle Mo Colt had been eighth going 1 1/16 miles in his debut at Saratoga before rallying to a three-quarter-length victory at Kentucky Downs.
Luminous Beauty, Good to Be King and others add depth to the field.
Both the Futurity and Matron are 6-furlong tests on the inner turf.
Belmont Park, Saturday, October 3, 2026, Race 10Entries: Futurity S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 My Kid's Said No (FL) Fausto Henrique Da Silva 119 Tena Birdwell - 2 Regent's Park (KY) Paco Lopez 122 Jorge Delgado - 3 Good to Be King (KY) Manuel Franco 122 George R. Arnold II - 4 Luminous Beauty (KY) Jose E. Morelos 119 Jena M. Antonucci - 5 Cactus Closer (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 122 Dale L. Romans - 6 Uncle Kef (FL) Jose Lezcano 122 Kevin Rice - 7 Just Joe (KY) Flavien Prat 122 George Weaver - 8 Golden Corsair (FL) Dylan Davis 122 Blake Kelly - 9 Pinpoint (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 122 Todd A. Pletcher -
Matron Marks Return of Hot Prospect Brickyard Belle
The Matron opens the stakes sequence as Race 6, luring BloodHorse Maiden Watch Hot Prospect Brickyard Belle after a head-turning maiden victory Aug. 27 at Saratoga.
The Miguel Clement trainee, a daughter of Yaupon , was a $600,000 buy from the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale earlier this spring by Case Clay Thoroughbred Management, and ran to his eye-catching sales price when unveiled with a 4 1/2-length victory in a 5 1/2-furlong turf race at Saratoga. Brickyard Belle races for the partnership of Brickyard Belle Racing, Beggs and Flowers, and Briles Family Stable.
Another stepping up in class after a first-out maiden victory at Saratoga is Yolo Train, a Jack Christopher Filly who romped by 4 lengths for Brown and owners Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb.
Belmont Park, Saturday, October 3, 2026, Race 6Entries: Matron S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Brickyard Belle (KY) Manuel Franco 122 Miguel Clement - 2 More Champagne (FL) Edgard J. Zayas 122 Thomas Morley - 3 Harper's Corner (KY) Paco Lopez 122 Cathal A. Lynch - 4 Almighty One (KY) Jose Lezcano 122 Kevin Rice - 5 Medinah (KY) Dylan Davis 122 Mark E. Casse - 6 Side Quest (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 122 William Walden - 7 Royal Companion (VA) Kendrick Carmouche 122 Michael J. Trombetta - 8 Yolo Train (KY) Flavien Prat 122 Chad C. Brown -
