True North attempt by Westwood

Improving four-year-old sprinter Westwood steps up to G2 level in the True North Stakes over six and a half furlongs on dirt at Belmont Park, USA, on Friday, 8 June. 

The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained son of Bernardini has won three of his four starts this year and returns to Belmont Park after staying on well for victory over G3 scorer Skyler's Scramjet in the six-furlong Runhappy Stakes at the same course on 12 May. 

He faded to fifth when making the running in the seven-furlong G3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland in April and started his 2018 campaign with two Aqueduct victories at six and a half furlongs. 

John Velazquez, on board in the Runhappy Stakes, takes the ride again on Westwood, who breaks from stall six in a field of eight which also features the 2016 G1 Vosburgh Stakes victor Joking plus G2 winners Bobby Abu Dhabi and Limousine Liberal. 

Kiaran McLaughlin commented: “Westwood came out of the Runhappy Stakes in good shape and has been training well. 

“This will be a tough race, but he drew well in stall six and we feel good about our chances.

“He went too fast early in the Commonwealth Stakes and got caught by a couple of nice horses, and we can hopefully stalk the field from the outside this time. 

“This is the right trip, the race fits well in terms of timing and the track will be fast, so everything should be in his favour.”