With Casino Drive's Belmont hopes halted by a stone bruise, his connections confirm that he is now likely to target the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on 25 October.

Considered the only horse likely to threaten odds-on favourite Big Brown, it was with disappointment that his connections had to withdraw him from the much-anticipated contest.

Had he succeeded, Casino Drive would have attained the remarkable feat of adding to his family's illustrious history by being the third Belmont winner in a row of his dam, Better Than Honour, dam of previous winners Jazil (2006) and Rags to Riches (2007).

Casino Drive was sold as a yearling for US$950,000 to the Japanese owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto.

After Rags to Riches’ Belmont win, Yamamoto became intrigued by the idea of keeping Better Than Honour’s streak alive and brought the colt over from Japan.

He will now head back to Japan but will return to the US without another race in his home country.

“We’ll give him a break and start training him in August, said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to return for the Breeders’ Cup and a prep race. We won’t race him in Japan because he can’t run in a group race. He only has a maiden win."

Pencarrow mare Silver and Roses, by Sadler's Wells, is a half-sister to Better Than Honour, the dam of Casino Drive. Silver and Roses' first two progeny are a yearling filly by Choisir retained by Pencarrow Stud to race, and a filly foal by Pins.