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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.