Majestic Affair Favored in Redrawn Winkfield
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Originally scheduled for Saturday, February 28 the 31st running of the $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes will be run on Sunday, March 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack featuring a field of six 3-year-olds.
Heading the field is the Chad Brown-trained Majestic Affair for owners James Covello and Thomas and Doheny Coleman. The chestnut gelding has four wins from six lifetime starts and enters on an impressive two-race win streak. On January 29 he collected a 5 ¾ -length victory in the Frank Whitely Jr. at Laurel Park and preceding that with a win in the Fred Capossela on January 2 at the Big A.
The 4-5 morning-line favorite, Majestic Affair will leave from post-position 5 with Kendrick Carmouche aboard.
Facing winners for the first time will be Lord Commander for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock. The 3-year-old Giant's Causeway colt won his debut at the Big A on February 7 traveling inside most of the way before pulling away in the stretch to prevail by a length. The victory earned him a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.
Lord Commander will leave from the rail retaining jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. and stands as the 5-2 second choice on the morning line.
Owners George and Lori Hall will be represented by Joe Franklin. The front-running Bernstein colt, trained by Kelly Breen, has two wins with two second place finishes from four starts. Last out he was second to Majestic Affair in the Capossela after relinquishing the lead in the upper stretch.
At 6-1 on the morning line, Joe Franklin will leave from post 4 with jockey C.C. Lopez in the irons.
The Mark Hennig-trained Regal Minister for DATTT Stable will look to rebound off a close second-place finish in the Rego Park on January 30. Listed at 8-1 on the morning line, he will be ridden by jockey Junior Alvarado from post 3.
Rounding out the field are Ackeret for Pick Six Racing, who last out finished fourth in the Grade 3 Jerome on January 3, and Possessed for owner and trainer Charlton Baker. He will be making his first start facing winners having broken his maiden in his fourth start by a nose on February 14 at Aqueduct.
The field for the $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes:
PP | Horse | A/S | Med | Jockey | WGT | Trainer | Odds |
1 | Lord Commander (KY) | 3/C | L | I Ortiz, Jr. | 116 | T A. Pletcher | 5-2 |
2 | Possessed (NY) | 3/C | L | W A. Garcia | 116 | C Baker | 20-1 |
3 | Regal Minister (NY) | 3/C | L | J Alvarado | 120 | M A. Hennig | 8-1 |
4 | Joe Franklin (KY) | 3/C | L | C C. Lopez | 118 | K J. Breen | 6-1 |
5 | Majestic Affair (KY) | 3/G | L | K Carmouche | 122 | C C. Brown | 4-5 |
6 | Ackeret (FL) | 3/R | L | J L. Ortiz | 118 | G Rodriguez | 12-1 |
Source: NYRA Communications
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