Aqueduct: Hot Heir Skier holds on in Jimmy Winkfield Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Hot Heir Skier’s speed and talent overcame his immaturity as he held on for a half-length victory over Oliver Zip in Monday’s $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters at Aqueduct.

Oliver Zip, who set the early pace, held second by a head over the hard-luck Charleymillionaire, who blew a right hind shoe, was checked down the backside, and floated five to six wide in the stretch. Pax Orbis, Cavu, Oty, and Eye Luv Lulu completed the order of finish.

The win was the second from three starts for Hot Heir Skier, a son of Wildcat Heir and a full brother to Breathoffreshheir, who won the Ruthless Stakes for 3-year-old fillies here in 2011. Hot Heir Skier is owned by Ebby Novak’s New Farm and trained by Ben Perkins Jr.

Under Jose Ortiz, Hot Heir Skier dueled between Oliver Zip and Otoy through a quarter in 22.92 seconds and a half-mile in 46.52.

Turning for home, Oliver Zip, the 2-1 favorite, and Hot Heir Skier opened up on the field, with Hot Heir Skier taking over just outside the eighth pole. Hot Heir Skier switched back to his left lead and then began to drift out, but was well clear and still had run left to beat Oliver Zip and Charleymillionaire to the wire.

Hot Heir Skier covered the six furlongs in 1:11.25 and returned $7.50 as the second choice in the field of seven.

“He was very relaxed, he settled down very good like an older horse,” Ortiz said. “When I asked him to go, he [went], but when I hit him once he acted a little green, pulled himself up a little bit.”

Ortiz said in the final furlong, “I just showed him the whip because he acted a little green. But he’s a nice horse.”

Perkins said that while he may bring Hot Heir Skier back for the $100,000 Fred “Cappy” Caposella on March 8, he eventually would like to get Hot Heir Skier on the turf.