More Than Ready’s Roy H stays perfect in 2017 with True North S. (G2) win

Roy H kept his 2017 record unblemished with a 2 1/2-length score in Friday’s $250,000 True North S. (G2) at Belmont Park, the first stakes win for the son of More Than Ready.

Impressive winner of a pair allowance races at Santa Anita Park, including a seven-length score last month when he earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure, Roy H was making his stakes debut in the six-furlong True North.

Roy H broke alertly and was never more than two length behind the leaders on the backstretch. He began to make up ground four-wide around the turn, and came into the stretch with the lead. He opened up quickly and comfortably held off Stallwalkin’ Dude for the win.

The final time on the fast main track was 1:08.59.

“If you don’t know the horse, you might think this was an ambitious spot for him,” trainer Peter Miller said. “But this horse was a graded stakes horse from day one. (H)e showed what he’s about today, and I think you’re going to hear a lot more from Roy H.” 

Bred in Kentucky by Ramona Bass, out of multiple graded stakes winner Elusive Diva, Roy H now has a 4-3-1 record from 14 starts and pushed his earnings to $294,765.

More Than Ready now has 77 lifetime graded stakes winners, and true to his stature as a leading international star, has graded winners three continents in 2017.