Haikal runs down Joevia to win Jimmy Winkfield Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The Aqueduct main track has favored inside speed for nearly a week. Haikal had the inside, but he didn’t necessarily have the speed.

It didn’t matter, though, as Haikal, under Rajiv Maragh, squeezed through a narrow opening along the rail in deep stretch and was able to run down longshot Joevia to win Saturday’s $150,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes by a neck at Aqueduct. Joevia finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of even-money favorite Tikhvin Flew.

Family Biz finished fourth and was followed by Direct Order, and Jump for Alex. Gates of Dawn, the pacesetter, was pulled up at the top of the stretch and was vanned off. Dr. Anthony Verderosa said jockey Junior Alvarado felt Gates of Dawn take a bad step and pulled his mount up.

Haikal won for the second time from three starts and likely earned himself a start in a Kentucky Derby qualifying points races such as the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham going a mile here March 9, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. Haikal is also nominated to the $2 million UAE Derby at Meydan on March 30.

Haikal, a son of Daaher and a half-brother to the Grade 1-winning sprinter Takaful, won the Winkfield in similar fashion to his Dec. 15 maiden victory.

Haikal was fifth early, about 4 1/2 lengths off the pacesetting Gates of Dawn, while in the two path down the backside. He moved over to the rail entering the far turn.

Joevia, under Chris DeCarlo, put a head in front of Gates of Dawn after a half-mile run in 46.67 seconds, with Tikhvin Flew right there while three wide.
At the quarter pole, Gates of Dawn took a bad step and dropped and was taken out of the race. Joevia had the lead with Tikhvin Flew to his outside and Maragh trying to rally Haikal along the rail. Hesitant at first, Haikal ultimately moved through the opening and outkicked Joevia to the wire.

Haikal, owned by Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Stable, covered the seven furlongs in 1:25.24 and returned $6.60 as the second choice.

“There wasn’t a lot of room,” Maragh said. “Chris DeCarlo was riding his race and he wasn’t giving me an easy path; he was trying to hold me in there and doing his job. My horse, when he actually headed him, he got a little intimidated at first, but once he stuck his nose in front he took off right before the wire.”

McLaughlin said he spoke with Maragh before the race and, despite the way the track was playing, they decided to ride Haikal “like he wants to be ridden and not change our style," McLaughlin said. “It worked out well.”

Joevia hadn’t run since he won his debut at Monmouth Park last July 15. DeCarlo said he didn’t want to make the lead Saturday as early as he did, but “I had a lot of room down the backside and speed’s been good all day, so I said let me take a shot and see what happens. About the last 100 yards he started letting go of the bridle, Rajiv came through and I couldn’t hold him off.”