Aqueduct: Extrasexyhippzster much the best in Don Rickles

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jockey Julian Pimentel was not prepared to concede anything to the heavily favored Pure Sensation in Saturday’s $100,000 Don Rickles Stakes for 2-year-olds at Aqueduct.

Pimentel, on Maryland invader Extrasexyhippzster, put his colt into the race early, outdueled the 3-5 favorite Pure Sensation through a half-mile in 45.97 seconds, and drew off in the final furlong to win the Don Rickles by five lengths.

Oliver Zip rallied late to get second by a neck over Pure Sensation. Pin and Win and Otoy completed the order of finish. Sing the Dream scratched.

The win was the second from four starts for Extrasexyhippzster, a Pennsylvania-bred son of Stroll owned and bred by Michael Kirwan and Edward Hipps, and trained by Michael Trombetta.

Extrasexyhippzster was running back just two weeks after finishing fourth in the Marylander Stakes at Laurel. That race was run on a muddy surface and Pimentel told the owners the horse didn’t handle it.

“It was a new surface. He wasn’t quite sure of it,” Kirwan said, referring to the Laurel race. “When he got to the head of the stretch he was tentative. Halfway down [the stretch] he switched leads but it was too late. Today, we didn’t get a muddy track.”

The inner track was labeled good. Breaking from post 4, Pimentel put Extrasexyhippzster in the four path, leaving room between him and Pure Sensation. Entering the far turn, Pimentel put him right next to Pure Sensation and the two dueled until the eighth pole before Extrasexyhippzster drew clear.

Extrasexyhippzster covered the six furlongs in 1:10.86 and returned $9.70.

“We wanted to be as close as we can, not let him get away. It worked out good,” Pimentel said. “He’s a really nice horse. He’s pretty capable of doing that.”

Kirwan said Extrasexyhippzster would return to Fair Hill in Maryland and he would leave the choice of the next race up to Trombetta. The next sprint on this circuit for Extrasexyhippzster is the $150,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at six furlongs here on Jan. 20.