North American Weekend Preview: Belmont back on the radar

Belmont hosts graded action this weekend

Graeme North looks towards the weekend's leading North American action.

The G3 Westchester Stakes (off 16:58 local time, 21:58 BST) for three-year-olds and upwards over a mile is the feature on the first Saturday of Belmont's spring meet and marginally top on Timeform ratings is course specialist Flat Out whose last three victories have come during a near two-year spell when he hasn't won anywhere else. Given that information it might seem surprising that he's been priced up at 4.5 on the Morning Line but there are good reasons for that: he ideally needs another couple of furlongs, most certainly a more strongly-run race than he's likely to encounter here and there's also a suggestion too this season that the seven-year-old might not be the horse he was last year. As such, he's opposable.

There's a good case to be made for 3.5 Morning Line favourite Cross Traffic who is unbeaten in two starts at Gulfstream this year and made short work of 118-rated Fast Falcon in an allowance optional claimer last time from which the third and fourth have both come out since and run very well. He's open to more improvement, but so too might be Morning Line second choice Big Screen who narrowly gets our vote. He was found out in Graded company a couple of times last year, but that may be been a step too far too soon for him and his form this season, most notably his last win at Aqueduct in a very fast time, suggests that the hopes held out for him last year weren't misplaced.

Godolphin's Rattlesnake Bridge, who was second in the G1 Travers at Saratoga in 2011 but had to miss last year, is another with solid credentials after making a successful comeback at Gulfstream last month, while Cross Traffic's stable-companion Mordi's Miracle will find this easier than taking on the likes of Game On Dude and Ron The Greek in the Charles Town Classic from he was scratched last week. That's so long as he makes it to the start- the reason he was scratched at Charles Town was because his trainer Todd Pletcher was unhappy with his inside post position and he's drawn the same slot again. Big Screen is our choice to edge out his stable companion Cross Traffic.

Field sizes at Woodbine are on the small side but at least nine older fillies and mares go to post for the G3 Whimsical Stakes (16:44, 21:44 BST) over six furlongs. Course winner Northern Passion has the best form but only marginally and given she hasn't raced since June can't really be put forward as a solid selection in a contest race fitness may well prove important with several of these returning from breaks given the Canadian season is just getting into full swing.

Sisterly Love was found out in a G2 at Aqueduct last time but had won three of her four races before that and merits close consideration but she needs to prove herself on a synthetic surface. That accusation can't be levelled at Distracting who scored at Betfair Hollywood Park last year and though she too has been found out in Graded races at Santa Anita twice this year she will find this company a whole lot easier. She won at Santa Anita two starts back and won't mind the drop to six furlongs. 

Recommendation
 
1pt win Big Screen in the Westchester