Skelly looking for clean break in Ring the Bell Stakes
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The presence of Skelly in the $150,000 Ring the Bell Stakes on Saturday at Oaklawn Park makes identifying the speed of the race a breeze. He’s super quick and has racked up $2 million in earnings by using his speed.
But there’s never a guarantee on how a race will take shape, and sometimes that has to do with the big, green monster – the starting gate.
“He’s had a lot of difficulty away from the gates recently, and hopefully we can get that rectified with him back at Oaklawn, where he’s had a lot of success,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Skelly. “It’s a very good race, very competitive race. But he needs to give himself a chance by getting away from the gate.”
The Ring the Bell is a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up. The field of eight includes $1.9 million earner Banishing; $1.6 million earner Tejano Twist; and two-time Grade 3 winners Roll On Big Joe and Durante. Roll On Big Joe is cross-entered in Saturday’s Holiday Cheer at Turfway Park.
Skelly has broken sixth in his last two starts. He finished third to eventual Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Bentornato in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes on Sept. 13 at Churchill Downs and sixth in the Grade 2 Phoenix in his most recent out Oct. 3 at Keeneland.
When last seen here, Skelly broke on top in the Lake Hamilton on May 2, won by 10 1/2 lengths, and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 110 for covering six furlongs in 1:08.15. It was his 10th consecutive Oaklawn win in a streak that dates to Feb. 25, 2023. Overall, Skelly is 10 for 12 in Hot Springs and has registered six of his seven stakes wins over the local strip, including two runnings of the meet’s top offering for his division, the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap.
Asmussen said the local surface, environment, and winter-spring seasons the meet spans seem to particularly appeal to Skelly.
“It’s got to be a combination of it all,” he said. “It’s something he handles. Hopefully, that trend will continue.”
Skelly will break from post 4 and is situated outside of a potential pace rival in the rail-drawn Second I D. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount on Skelly for Red Lane Thoroughbreds.
Banishing is making his first start since finishing a troubled 12th in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. He came to hand last season at Oaklawn, when he put up triple-digit Beyer Figures in five straight races, at distances ranging from six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. The Grade 2 winner will start from post 7. Luis Saez has the mount for trainer David Jacobson.
The Ring the Bell is named for a program coordinated by retired trainer Paul Holthus in which the connections of a horse can indicate a donation to aftercare by ringing a bell in the winner’s circle at Oaklawn. Last meet more than $100,000 was raised for the Arkansas Thoroughbred Retirement and Rehabilitation Foundation, executive director Jeanette Milligan said.
◗ The meet’s first Saturday has an ontrack special of two corned beef sandwiches and a soda for $1.
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