Saratoga Oaks next on the agenda for Aspen Grove as Fozzy Stack revels in first top-level success

Fozzy Stack touched back down in Ireland on Monday morning after celebrating his first top-level success as a trainer thanks to Aspen Grove in the Belmont Oaks and the filly is set to stay in America for the Saratoga Oaks.

Despite Aspen Grove trailing in last of ten behind Tahiyra in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Stack still had the audacity to pitch her into another Grade 1 event and his unwavering faith paid handsome dividends as she flew home under a superb Oisin Murphy ride to land the $500,000 contest.

Reflecting on the feat, which landed a winner's cheque for £229,166, Stack said: "It was hard to know what to expect going over as it was tough to weigh up the American form.

"She was in-season when she ran in the Irish Guineas so we knew we could just put a line through that. Her last couple of runs before that had been good so we were hopeful heading over."

He added: "It wasn't ideal that she got left a bit at the start, but I think that actually worked out for the best because she got down the rail and was able to pick her way through. She travelled well and she got the splits when she needed them. You need a bit of luck in those races over there and she got some. He [Oisin] gave her a great ride.

"She had always worked quite well at home and we always had the race in our heads for her. I said to Craig [Bernick] in the spring that we'd run her in a trial, and if she runs alright there we'll run her in the Guineas and then after that we would find something for her in America."

Stack found himself in the funny position of being the former trainer of Papilio, who moved over to Mark Casse after her juvenile campaign, and she finished third to her previous stablemate.

Stack said: "There wasn't a lot between them as two-year-olds and I said to Craig the night before the race that I thought our filly would stay a bit better than the other filly. I knew Papilio might have a bit more toe than us but I knew we'd stay better."

Stack was proved right as Aspen Grove stormed home to get the better of the Chad Brown-trained Prerequisite by three-quarters of a length, with Papilio a further neck back in third.

The winning trainer said: "It's great. We've gone close a couple of times in Group 1s. Castle Star went close in the Middle Park and the Flying Five but it's nice to have won one of them."

On Aspen Grove's next assignment, Stack added: "She'll head up to Saratoga and run in the Saratoga Oaks in early August, or else there is the Del Mar Oaks a week later, so we'll just see what way it all pans out over the next little while."

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