Asmussen stable sweeps Stallion Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - Two progeny of Precise End, both trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Garrett Gomez, received similar trips in sweeping the two divisions of the New York Stallion Stakes Sunday at Belmont Park.

In the $75,000 Spectacular Bid for 3-year-old males, One Way Flight stalked the pace-setting Classic Pack, took command just outside the three-eighths pole, and cruised home a 4 1-4-length winner over Running Dog. One Way Flight ended a four-race losing streak including a neck loss in the Times Square Division of the New York Stallion Stakes in April at Aqueduct.

One Way Flight, owned by Establo Madoca, ran one mile in 1:36.46 over a track labeled good and returned $3.30 as the odds-on favorite.

One Way Flight's ability to sit just off the speed was the key to victory.

Gomez said Asmussen's New York assistant trainer Toby Sheets "told me to sit with him and try to get along with him. I was just trying to be patient with him. He listened to me, he settled down and he relaxed. I just kept him about five-wide until about the middle of the turn. When I turned for home, I said, 'Let's sprint!,' and he did what he was supposed to do."

One race earlier, No Reason stalked the pace-setting Artistic Express, and had to work a little harder than her stablemate to forge to the front, but finally edged clear by 1 1-4 lengths in the $73,500 Cupecoy's Joy for 3-year-old fillies.

No Reason, owned by Winter Park Partners, recorded her second straight victory in the New York Stallion series as she also won the Park Avenue Division on April 30 at Aqueduct.

No Reason covered one-mile in 1:36.90 and returned $3.20 as the odds-on choice.

In December 2004, Precise End was sold and now stands at stud in Japan.