Involved in the biosynthesis of aklavinone which is an important precursor common to the formation of the clinically significant anthracyclines such as carminomycin, daunorubicin (daunomycin), rhodomycin, aclacinomycin T (aklavin) and aclacinomycin A (aclarubicin). These compounds are aromatic polyketide antibiotics that exhibit high cytotoxicity and are widely applied in the chemotherapy of a variety of cancers. Catalyzes the NADPH-specific conversion of aklaviketone to yield aklavinone. It can also convert maggiemycin and 7-oxodaunomycinone to epsilon-rhodomycinone and daunomycinone, respectively. aklavinone + NADP(+) = aklaviketone + 2 H(+) + NADPH Antibiotic biosynthesis; daunorubicin biosynthesis. Antibiotic biosynthesis; carminomycin biosynthesis. Antibiotic biosynthesis; rhodomycin biosynthesis. Antibiotic biosynthesis; aclacinomycin biosynthesis. Cells lacking this gene accumulate maggiemycin. In the absence of the aklavinone intermediate, aklaviketone is apparently hydroxylated at C-11 to form maggiemycin. Belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDR) family.