Ascendancy Registers Second Stakes Victory

Ascendancy (4f Classic Empire x Tensas Punch, by War Front) added a second stakes victory to her record on Saturday with a win in the Luther Burbank Stakes.

Racing in midpack about three lengths off the leaders in the 1 1/16 mile turf race, Ascendancy raced a few paths wide as the field raced down the backstretch. The filly moved closer as the field moved into the turn and at the top of the stretch, it was her time to get to work.

She still had another horse to run down in the stretch if she wanted to get the lead and run her down she did. Ascendancy took the lead in the final sixteenth and raced away from there to win by 2 ¼ lengths.

Trained by co-owner O.J. Jauregui for Dan Barrett, David Crossley, Daniel Preiss, Angel Valadez, and Graham Witherall, Ascendancy is the winner of seven of her 19 starts with six other top three starts for over $200,000 in earnings.

Ascendancy is one of two stakes performers out of stakes winner Tensas Punch alongside Dharmaster. That mare is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner United and Grade III winner Harlan Punch among others.

Classic Empire’s four stakes winners in 2023 is fourth best of all third crop sires while his seven stakes performers is fifth best.