Skelly wins fourth race of the meet in Lake Hamilton

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Skelly surpassed $1 million in Oaklawn Park earnings on Saturday when he darted to a 2 1/4-length win over Mish in the $200,000 Lake Hamilton. It was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third to Payne.

Skelly won the Lake Hamilton for the second year in a row and the first-place check of $114,000 that he earned pushed his Oaklawn bankroll to $1,108,663. He is 8 for 10 over the local strip. Skelly overall has won 10 of 15 career starts for total earnings of $1.5 million.

Skelly ($2.40) broke sixth in the field of seven, but moved to the front soon afterward along with Ruggs and Edge to Edge, as the trio raced through an opening quarter in 21.34 seconds. Skelly then separated himself from his rivals through a half-mile in 44.33 seconds, before finishing up six furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.12.

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Ricardo Santana Jr. was aboard on a humid afternoon for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Skelly has long loved his job – a real hard-working individual, said Asmussen. Skelly was winning his fourth race at the meet at Oaklawn.

“He’s as blue collar as they get,” Asmussen said. “He brings a lunch box to work.”

Skelly has not lost in his last nine starts in North America. He made one start overseas in February, and ran a big second in the Group 3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia.

Skelly is a son of Practical Joke who races for Red Lane Thoroughbreds.

Asmussen had two other sprint stakes winners Saturday at Churchill Downs in Cogburn and Gun Pilot.

Lochmoor makes it three in a row in Arkansas Breeders’

Lochmoor ($3.20) won his third consecutive race when drove home by 2 1/4 lengths over One Ten Stadium in the $200,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third to Man in the Can.

Lochmoor was content to settle off the pace as Man in the Can took the field through fractions of 23.77 for the opening quarter, 47.97 for the half-mile, and 1:13.97 for six furlongs. Lochmoor advanced down the backside, drew even with the leaders at the quarter pole, and went about his business to cover the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.24.

“With him, you can kind of put him wherever you want to,” said winning trainer Bruce Riecken.

“He’s got pretty good character to him. He’s playful at the barn doesn’t take anything too serious.”

Francisco Arrieta was aboard for William Kennedy Jr.

Lochmoor is a son of Laurie’s Rocket who has now won 7 of 16 starts for earnings of $475,987.

Lochmoor will now get some downtime, said Riecken.

“He’s probably going to get the summer off again because he enjoys that,” said Riecken.

The Arkansas Breeders' Championship was for 3-year-olds and up bred in Arkansas.

* Oaklawn closes out its meet Sunday with the running of the $200,000 Lake Ouachita that drew Law Professor and the $125,000 Trail’s End starter allowance at 1 3/4 miles.

The Budweiser Clydesdales, who appeared Saturday, are again scheduled to parade before the public on Sunday.

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