HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Catch Skelly.
That was the competition’s task for the last two runnings of the Lake Hamilton at Oaklawn Park, and it’s the case again Friday, when the outstanding sprinter seeks to win the $200,000 stakes for the third year in a row.
The Lake Hamilton, which is for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs, goes as the eighth race on a 12-race card that has a special first post of noon Central. The meet’s penultimate program also includes the $175,000 Bachelor for 3-year-olds, which drew multiple stakes winner Kale’s Angel.
Skelly’s exceptional speed tends to put him in a position of dictating the terms in his races, and that was the case in his most recent out April 11 at Oaklawn. Skelly increased his advantage with each passing pole in the allowance for a five-length victory in his first start since November. For the effort, which came in his 6-year-old debut, he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 107.
“I guess Skelly’s still fast,” trainer Steve Asmussen quipped.
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Skelly will break from the widest gate in the field of six Friday. He faces fellow Grade 3 winners Happy American, Ryvit, Durante, and Raymond, who is seeking his fifth straight win at the meet Friday.
But all figure to find themselves chasing Skelly. In his most recent race, he was up by more than three lengths after an opening quarter in 21.96 seconds, then eight lengths through a half-mile in 44.75. Skelly went on to cover six furlongs in 1:09.27.
“It was a strong race,” Asmussen said. “It’s great to have him back. He is special, man. He really is. He’s just a heck of a racehorse.”
Skelly is a gelding by Practical Joke who races for Red Lane Thoroughbreds. He has compiled a career record of 11 wins from 20 starts and earned more than $1.8 million. Skelly has shown a particular fondness for Oaklawn, with two wins in the track’s signature race for sprinters, the Grade 3 Count Fleet.
The opportunity to race in Hot Springs one more time this season was the appeal of the Lake Hamilton, Asmussen said.
“He’s 9 for 11 lifetime at Oaklawn,” he noted.
Ricardo Santana Jr. is the regular rider aboard Skelly.
Happy American was cross-entered in the St. Matthews overnight stakes that was to be run Thursday at Churchill Downs, but trainer David Jacobson said earlier this week he was leaning toward a start in the Lake Hamilton off the horse’s fourth-place finish in the Count Fleet.
“He ran a super race the other day at Oaklawn, got beat a length and a quarter to Booth,” he said.
It was the first start Happy American made for Jacobson. If he runs in the Lake Hamilton, look for Happy American to be sitting just off the pace when he breaks from post 3 under Cristian Torres.
“We’re going to be putting blinkers on him,” Jacobson said. “He’s never worn blinkers, and I just think the way he’s running now, the blinkers might get him a jump or two closer and really get him where he needs to be.”
Ryvit will get support off a runner-up finish in the Count Fleet.
Bachelor
Kale’s Angel will be looking to end the Oaklawn meet the same way he started it – with a stakes victory. He opened the track’s season Dec. 6 with a 5 3/4-length win in the Advent.
“Hopefully, we can finish out with a W,” trainer Peter Miller said.
The Bachelor, at six furlongs, drew a field of nine that includes the unbeaten Cool Cowboy.
Kale’s Angel won the 5 1/2-furlong Advent with a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 93. He then opened his 3-year-old campaign with a third-place finish to Coal Battle in the Smarty Jones at 1 1/16 miles before cutting back to one turn and winning the Renaissance is his most recent Oaklawn appearance Jan. 18.
“We had run him back to back to back at Oaklawn, and so we brought him home and gave him a little freshening and it did him well,” said Miller, who is based in Southern California and keeps a division at Oaklawn.
Kale’s Angel returned to action March 22 and won the Animal Kingdom at six furlongs at Turfway Park.
“I liked everything about his race,” Miller said. “He settles nice, he rates well, and he’s got a nice, late kick. Very professional horse. But that was then, this is now. We’ve got to prove it again.”
Miller said the Bachelor was appealing because Kale’s Angel likes the local surface. He also said the timing worked well for the horse, who with a good performance could head to New York for the Woody Stephens.
Ramon Vazquez has the mount from post 2 for Tom Kagele and Ernest Marchosky.
The up-and-coming Baby Boat makes his stakes debut after closing with a rush to win an April 11 allowance at Oaklawn.
“It looks like he’s getting better,” trainer Jimmy DiVito said. “I think he’s a late-running sprinter.”
Tyler Bacon has the mount from post 7.
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