Oaklawn Horse For Course Skelly Repeats In Lake Hamilton

Heavily favored Skelly stretched his Oaklawn winning streak to eight with a front-running 2 1/4-length victory over Mish in Saturday’s $200,000 Lake Hamilton Stakes for older horses at six furlongs.

Quickly shaking a sluggish start, Skelly ($2.40) assumed his customary position on the lead and coasted into the stretch with a three-length advantage under regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr.

Mish mounted a challenge on the outside through the lane, but never seriously threatened the millionaire multiple stakes winner.

Skelly, under equal top weight of 122 pounds, completed trip over a fast track in 1:09.12. His early fractions, as expected, were fast – :21.34, :44.33 and :56.53 for five furlongs.

Mish, a Florida shipper, was 4½ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Payne, who was followed, in order, by Mahomey, Perfect Dude, Ruggs and Edge to Edge. Straight No Chaser was a late scratch.

Skelly, who races for Red Lane Thoroughbreds LLC (Chris Hicks) and Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, won for the 10^thtime in 15 starts to raise his career earnings to $1,574,163.

Skelly’s eight consecutive Oaklawn victories – four at the last two meetings – is highlighted by five stakes. Skelly won the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) and Lake Hamilton the last two seasons and the King Cotton Feb. 3 in his 5-year-old debut.

Skelly is a son of millionaire Grade 1 winner Practical Joke out of the Bwana Charlie mare Adande. He was bred in Kentucky by H. Allen Poindexter and was a $250,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearlings Showcase. Wynnstay Sales consigned..