Quijote will stick to sprinting in Jimmy Winkfield Stakes

The connections of Quijote will resist the temptation of stretching the two-time-winning sprinter out in distance and will ship the 3-year-old gelding from Louisiana to New York for the $125,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct on March 6.

“I talked with Rich Papiese of Midwest Thoroughbreds, and we decided to keep him sprinting,” trainer Tom Amoss said Thursday. “Things open up in April, but they really didn’t right now.”

A gelding by Pomeroy, Quijote won a pair of off-the-turf sprints at Fair Grounds 19 days apart in late December and early January, overcoming less-than-smooth trips in each to get the job done.

“Despite the fact they were both off the turf, we liked them both,” Amoss said of Quijote’s first two efforts. “Though we tried to run him on the turf, he’s telling us he wants to be a dirt horse.”

Amoss said Quijote was scheduled to arrive in New York over the weekend.

Others pointing to the Winkfield include Awesome Gent, Condo King, King Kranz, Sudden Surprise, and possibly Jan’s Reserve and Zen Papa.