Three cut back to sprinting in Jimmy Winkfield Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After being given the obligatory opportunity to run around two turns – which didn’t work out – the 3-year-olds Condo King, King Kranz, and Sudden Surprise return to sprint distances in Sunday’s $125,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes going six furlongs at Aqueduct.

Condo King beat King Kranz by a neck in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race Dec. 5 over Aqueduct’s main track. Condo King ran back in the Grade 3 Jerome at a mile and 70 yards and finished sixth, 23 1/4 lengths behind the winner, Flexibility. This will be his first start since.

Meanwhile, King Kranz came out of that Dec. 5 maiden race to win the $125,000 Lost in the Fog Stakes going six furlongs here on New Year’s Day. He was then given his chance to run around two turns, finishing last of six behind Sunny Ridge in the Grade 3 Withers at 1 1/16 miles.

Lastly, Sudden Surprise won four New York-bred sprint stakes at age 2 before being given the opportunity to stretch out in the Gander Stakes on Feb. 6. He faded to second after setting the pace.

The key to success in the Winkfield might be which horse can sit slightly off the pace. Condo King, Sudden Surprise, and King Kranz have all shown a penchant for being on or just off the lead. Zen Papa, who like Condo King is trained by Rudy Rodriguez, is another front-running type.

Condo King’s outside draw might give him a slight advantage, though King Kranz did lay second early in the Lost in the Fog, even with blinkers added for the first time.

“He likes a target to run after,” said John Terranova, the trainer of King Kranz.

Fair Grounds shipper Quijote is 2 for 2 for trainer Tom Amoss. Both of his wins – in off-the-turf races – came from off the pace. Moon Over a Beauty and Awesome Gent complete the field.

The Winkfield will go as race 5 on a nine-race card that begins at 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

KEY CONTENDERS

Condo King, by Tiz Wonderful

Last 3 Beyers: 49-90-71

◗ Got progressively better with each of his first three sprint tries, including a neck victory over King Kranz after being passed by that horse in a highly rated maiden race Dec. 5.

◗ Gets Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first time.

King Kranz, by Munnings

Last 3 Beyers: 63-86-90

◗ The addition of blinkers helped the horse win the Lost in the Fog despite him being a maiden taking on winners.

“We had seen him get to a horse and stick with him a little bit,” Terranova said, adding that the blinkers “get him focused a little bit more, get him doing what he’s supposed to do a little bit. He’s trained with a lot more direction with the blinkers on.”

Quijote, by Pomeroy

Last 2 Beyers: 86-71

◗ Connections thought he was turf meant, but the gelding has gone 2 for 2 on dirt at Fair Grounds. With no good option for him in Louisiana, he comes here with perhaps an off-the-pace style that might be what is necessary in this field.

◗ Hot-riding Kendrick Carmouche has the call.