OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Accede parlayed a somewhat unorthodox trip along with a perfectly judged ride by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. into a hard-fought head victory over unlucky runner-up Just Katherine to notch her first stakes victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 Bed O' Roses Stakes at Aqueduct. The win was the third on the day for trainer Chad Brown and also completed a hat trick for Ortiz. Accede came into the Bed O' Roses sporting a two-race winning streak, those victories coming more than six months apart, the most recent a 1 3/4-length triumph against second-level allowance and optional claiming opposition six weeks ago at Keeneland. Both of those tallies were with Ortiz aboard. Accede ducked out at the break, creating some crowding with Flying Connection that forced both Just Katherine and Morning Matcha to check back sharply. Accede then proceeded, somewhat surprisingly, to assume the early lead along the rail, an advantage she held for nearly the opening three panels of the seven-furlong Bed O' Roses. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Ortiz was content to concede the front to longshot Beguine nearing the half-mile pole, rating Accede back in third position around the turn. The two then began their rally upon settling into the stretch, splitting the leaders to take control inside the furlong marker, drawing clear before withstanding Just Katherine’s final bid. Just Katherine rushed to closer contention down the backstretch after taking up after the start. She advanced steadily while wide around the bend, appeared to stick her head in front very briefly after six furlongs, but could not match strides with the winner before surging one last time - only to fall just short of her first stakes win.        Hot Fudge dropped to the rear of the field leaving the backstretch, came widest of all into the stretch, then rallied to be along for third, three lengths behind Just Katherine, while never menacing the top two. Flying Connection broke inward to help impede Just Katherine, raced forwardly placed down the backstretch but was never a serious factor, finishing a disappointing fifth as the 2-1 favorite in a field of 10 older fillies and mares. Accede, a 4-year-old Juddmonte homebred by Into Mischief, completed the distance over a fast track in 1:22.83 seconds. She paid $10.20. “She broke with good intent and I was happy with her on the lead, but if somebody wanted to go, it was fine to let them go,” Brown said. “He (Ortiz) worked out a great trip and the filly cooperated. She was professional all the way through.” Brown saluted the team at Juddmonte for their patience with Accede after she captured her 3-year-old finale last October at Keeneland. “She ended her season with a win, but she wasn’t really looking like a horse to jump back into a stakes,” Brown noted. “They gave her some time off and sent her back to me very strong and sound. We sort of settled on cutting her back in distance and turning her into a sprinter this year and she’s so much sounder and stronger. I was really pleased to see the progression she’s made from 3 to 4.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.