Awesome Ashley proved true to her name Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack, rallying wide to get up in the final yards of the $70,500 Garland of Roses Handicap.

Unhurried early, she sat well behind pacesetter Hold That Prospect through opening fractions of 22.95 and 46.76. Launching her bid at the quarter pole, the 5-year-old daughter of Unbridled’s Song closed steadily to cross the wire a neck in front of Lady Alexander, with stablemate Distorted Passion a half-length behind in third.

“She seems to really like this track and seems to get along with me as well,” said winning jockey Rosie Napravnik, who scored her third victory of the day in the Garland of Roses. “She kept grinding and grinding, and the only question was whether we were going to get there or not, and she did.”

Todd Pletcher, who trains the filly for Alex Campbell Jr., echoed the rider’s sentiments and pointed to Awesome Ashley’s record on the inner track, now 3-0-1 from six starts.

“Honestly, I think this filly just loves the inner track, and it’s hard to explain why,” Plecher said. “She’s had so much success [here], so we spent a good part of the summer just sort of waiting around, and freshened her up a little bit with the idea that we’d be ready to go on the inner track.”

Awesome Ashley – named for entertainer Ashley Judd – covered the six furlongs in 1:11.91 over a sloppy track.

With her victory today, the filly improved her lifetime record to 6-3-1 from 26 starts and boosted her earnings to $290,260. Pletcher did not indicate a next start for Awesome Ashley, but said she was scheduled to be bred in March and that he hoped to run her at least once more before then.

Sent off as the fourth choice in the field of eight, Awesome Ashley returned $12.80 for a $2 win ticket.

By the Light, Hold That Prospect, Casanova Killer, All of Her Twist and Honest to Betsy completed the order of finish. Saarlight was scratched.