Woodford Reserve Manhattan S.

While Ascend had never raced in a graded stakes race in his 13-race career, trainer Graham Motion saw enough in his previous two starts to enter him against some of the sport's top turf horses.

Motion's aggressive move would pay dividends on June 10, where Ascend proved up to the class hike by registering a 1 ¼-length victory in the $1 million, Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes, the race prior to the Belmont Stakes.

Stone Farm and Madaket Stables' Ascend closed out last season with an allowance win on the Keeneland Race Course turf. The Candy Ride gelding then opened his 5-year-old campaign with a victory in the Henry S. Clark Stakes April 22 at Laurel Park.

"He ran a great race but you don't expect to win at 25-1," Motion said.

Sent off at 27.50-1 with Jose Ortiz riding in the 1 ¼-mile race on Belmont’s inner turf course, Ascend tracked from fourth as the longest shot in the field, Applicator, cruised through a quarter-mile in :24.60 and a half-mile in :50.09. Ortiz kept Ascend near that easy pace, then tipped his mount into the three path at the half-mile pole.

Coming out of the far turn, Ortiz asked for more and Ascend responded. He would reach even terms with the frontrunner and World Approval at the quarter pole, before dueling with the latter in early stretch. Ascend dug in and inched away from rivals, safely ahead of the late rally of 1.35-1 favorite Time Test, who would settle for second, edging Sadler's Joy by a neck.

"He gave him a beautiful ride," Motion said of Ortiz. "He was in a great spot, a good set-up. [It's] pretty much how we thought it'd set up."

Ortiz said his horse found a comfort zone early on his way to completing the race in 1:59.97 on firm turf.

"I stayed behind horses for as long as I could and when they passed the five-eighths pole, I put my horse in the clear," Ortiz said. "When I was ready to move, I did and he responded very well.

"When he switched leads, I touched him on the back with my whip and he took off. He was very comfortable in the last eighth of a mile."

Ascend improved to six wins from 14 starts and boosted his career bankroll to over $900,000.