Aqueduct: Sweet Reason goes long in Gazelle

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Sweet Reason will attempt to earn her way to the Kentucky Oaks when she takes on five rivals in Saturday’s $300,000 Gazelle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Sweet Reason, who came off a lengthy layoff to narrowly win a one-mile allowance race March 7, will attempt 1 1/8 miles for the first time in the Gazelle.

“I don’t see why she can’t go any distance with her demeanor,” trainer Leah Gyarmati said. “She’ll sit and sit, and she has a good turn of foot.”

Though Sweet Reason narrowly won her comeback race in slow time, Gyarmati felt the race was a perfect prep.

“It was a dream trip for the horse in front of her, and for her to be sitting back, floated wide, and come and win under a hand ride says a lot,” Gyarmati said.

Ortiz will ride Sweet Reason in a field that includes Bird Maker, Got Lucky, My Miss Sophia, Vero Amore, and Wraith.