Ascendancy wins second consecutive She's a Tiger Stakes

Ascendancy was ambitiously campaigned in graded stakes at Santa Anita, Churchill Downs and Pimlico through the spring. Her best result was a third in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita in April.

A return to trainer O.J. Jauregui’s base in Northern California for Saturday’s $53,350 She’s a Tiger Stakes at the Alameda county fair in Pleasanton gave Ascendancy her third career stakes win, and first since last August on the fair circuit.

Last summer, Ascendancy won the She’s a Tiger Stakes at Pleasanton and the Luther Burbank Stakes on turf at the Sonoma county fair in Santa Rosa in August.

Ridden on Saturday by Alexander Chavez, Ascendancy closed from a stalking position on the backstretch to reach contention in early stretch. Ascendancy needed the entire stretch to catch pacesetter Liberal Lady (4-1), winning by a length.

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Liberal Lady finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of 7-2 Princesa Del Tigre. Delusively and Bold Daughter completed the order of finish in the field of five fillies and mares.

Ascendancy ($2.80) ran 1 1/16 miles in a hand-timed 1:46.04.

A 5-year-old mare, Ascendancy races for the partnership of Jauregui, Dan Barrett, David Crossley, David Foran, Daniel Preiss, Angel Valadez and Graham Witherall.

Ascendancy was sixth in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs on May 4 and last of five in the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes on turf at Pimlico on May 18.

Ascendancy, by Classic Empire, has won 8 of 24 starts and earned $269,890.

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