'It's time': Graded-stakes winner Skelly is retired after 25th start

Graded-stakes winner Skelly was retired after making his 25th career start Saturday.

The 6-year-old gelding trained by Steve Asmussen finished fifth in the Ring the Bell Stakes at Oaklawn, where he raced 13 times in his career.

In a post on X, bloodstock agent Frank Alosa said his owners, John Sellers, Chris Hicks and Red Lane Thoroughbreds, "wanted to retire Skelly when he showed us it was time. He’s healthy, happy, and can enjoy his well earned, well deserved retirement."

News of his retirement was reported earlier by BloodHorse.

Purchased as a yearling for $250,000, Skelly had career earnings of $2 million and a record of 25: 12-7-1. He started this year with two wins but was 0-for-4 since.

Skelly had a seven-race win streak in 2023-24 that included a victory in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Handicap in 2023. That streak was part of a 14-race run where he never finished worse than second. He won the 2024 Count Fleet for his only other graded-stakes win.

Skelly made one Breeders' Cup appearance, finishing 10th in the 2024 Sprint, won by Straight No Chaser.