5th-KEE, $61,895, Alw, 4-16, (NW1X), 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:36.50, fm.

ASCEND (g, 4, Candy Ride {Arg}–Ghost Dancing {SW, $163,897}, by Silver Ghost), off the board in his first two attempts on both dirt and turf, just missed getting his diploma in a nine-panel turf test at Saratoga Aug. 29 and was a close second once again over this course Oct. 4. He returned to post a dominant four-length victory when returned to the dirt and cut back to seven panels at Gulfstream Feb. 18. Back on the green as the 21-10 favorite here, the homebred had a stutter-step break and was held up to run sixth around the clubhouse turn. Moving up to fourth while in hand heading into the far bend, Ascend failed to switch leads in the stretch, but still surged between rivals in the final sixteenth to win a three-way photo over Wayward Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) and Gustnado (Smart Strike) by a neck. The winner is a half to Moro Tap (Tapit), GSP, $161,816. His stakes-winning dam has a yearling colt by Trappe Shot and was bred back to Quality Road.

Lifetime Record: 6-2-2-0, $93,130. O/B-Stone Farm (KY); T-H. Graham Motion.