Fozzy Stack hands Aspen Grove international assignment in Saturday's $500,000 Belmont Oaks

Group 3 winner Aspen Grove has been given a potentially lucrative assignment by her trainer Fozzy Stack when the three-year-old heads overseas for Saturday's $500,000 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks.

The daughter of Justify was last seen in the Irish 1,000 Guineas when last of ten, but previously finished a fine third in the Group 3 Cornelscourt Stakes on her seasonal reappearance at Leopardstown.

Stack's charge, who was a surprise 66-1 winner of last season's Group 3 Newtownanner Stud Stakes at the Curragh, will tackle a mile and a quarter for the first time at Belmont Park, and the trainer is hoping conditions will suit his filly, who will be ridden by Oisin Murphy.

"We always said we would head to America with her from the beginning," said Stack. "She's a Group 3 winner at home and the prize-money is very good.

"I think the trip will suit her – she was finishing off well in France last year in the Prix Marcel Boussac and was doing the same in her trial at Leopardstown earlier this season, so you’d be hoping she would get it."

Connections will be hoping Belmont Park will continue to be a happy hunting ground for Irish trainers, with Aidan O'Brien landing the race with Santa Barbara in 2021 and Athena in 2018. Tommy Stack – Fozzy's father – saddled Alexander Tango to win the Grade 1 Garden City Stakes in 2007 and Waltzing Matilda to win the Grade 2 New York Stakes in 2015. 

Fozzy, meanwhile, saddled Yesterdayoncemore to land the Listed Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes at Del Mar in 2019.

Stack added: "She's a decent filly so hopefully she has a chance. Oisin was coming over to ride Andrew Balding's horse [The Foxes] in the Belmont Derby, so it made sense to book him to ride."

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