Ackeret shortens up to win Jimmy Winkfield

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Ackeret took the shortest way home, rallying along the rail in the stretch under Jose Ortiz to upset 3-5 favorite Majestic Affair in Sunday’s $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct.

It was the third win in five starts for Ackeret, who was cutting back to a sprint after finishing fourth, 14 lengths behind El Kabeir in the Grade 3 Jerome at a mile and 70 yards on Jan. 3.

Ackeret was one of three winners on Sunday’s card saddled by trainer Gustavo Rodriguez, who is filling in for his brother Rudy, who is serving a 25-day suspension for medication violations.

Ackeret, a son of Mach Ride, had won two of his previous three races at sprint distances.

On Sunday, Ackeret raced in the second flight inside of Majestic Affair while Lord Commander, Regal Minister, and Joe Franklin sparred through a half-mile in 46.66 seconds.

Turning into the stretch, Ortiz decided to take his chances and ducked to the inside while Kendrick Carmouche took Majestic Affair five-wide. Ortiz got fortunate when the rail opened when Lord Commander, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., came off the fence in midstretch.

Jose Ortiz rode Ackeret through the opening and he outfinished Majestic Affair to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Ackeret, owned by Pick Six Racing and Silver Streak Stables, covered six furlongs in 1:11.13 over an inner tack labeled muddy and returned $14.40 as the third choice.

The plan was to stalk [the pace] because there was a lot of speed," Ortiz said. "At the three-eighths pole, I decided to go inside and take a shot. The rail was open and I had a lot of horse, so I went through.”

Majestic Affair, coming off dominant wins in the Fred “Cappy” Capossela here and Frank Whiteley at Laurel, finished second by two lengths over 33-1 longshot Possessed, who got third by a head over Joe Franklin. Lord Commander and Regal Minister completed the order of finish.

David Panzman, the managing partner of Silver Streak Stables, said Ackeret will likely be pointed to the Grade 3, $300,000 Bay Shore Stakes going seven furlongs over the main track on April 4.