Social Inclusion Heading to Belmont Sunday

Social Inclusion was scheduled to arrive in barn 5 at Belmont Park on Sunday afternoon, with his connections eyeing either a start in the Grade 1, 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes or the Grade 2, seven-furlong Woody Stephens on June 7. Both the Belmont Stakes and the Woody Stephens are restricted to 3-year-olds.

Previously, Social Inclusion was under consideration for the Grade 1, one mile Metropolitan Handicap for 3-year-olds and up, but owner Ronald Sanchez revealed via text message today that the Met Mile is no longer a possibility.

"[Trainer Manuel Azpurua] wants breeze the horse before we make a decision," said Sanchez, who added that the breeze likely will be on Saturday.

Social Inclusion easily won his first two starts at Gulfstream Park before finishing second in the Grade 1 TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial in April at Aqueduct Racetrack. Making only his fourth start in the Grade 1 Preakness on May 17 at Pimlico, he raced in midpack early and tired in the stretch but battled to the wire to finish third, eight lengths behind the winner California Chrome and a head in front of fourth-place finisher General a Rod.