Oaklawn: Long-distance shipper Skelly sprints to win Count Fleet

Jet lag? Maybe just an instant.

The freakishly fast Skelly, after breaking third, rocketed to the front under regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr. and never looked back in Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap for older horses racing six furlongs at Oaklawn.

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Making his first start since his winning streak was snapped during a February trek to the Middle East, heavily favored Skelly finished three lengths clear of late-running millionaire Tejano Twist. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to third-place finisher Happy Is a Choice, who chased Skelly through blistering splits of 21.52 and 43.88 seconds.

Happy Is a Choice was followed in order by Ryvit, Jaxon Traveler, Perfect Dude and I’m Wide Awake. Code Five was a late scratch.

Skelly (3-5) the three-quarters of a mile over a fast track in a meet-best 1:08.82. He packed top weight of 125 pounds. 

Skelly ($3.40) also won the 2023 Count Fleet, which marked his third consecutive victory. Skelly stretched the winning streak to seven in the $150,000 King Cotton Stakes for older sprinters Feb. 3 at Oaklawn. It ended with a runner-up finish in the $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3) over about six furlongs Feb. 24 in Saudi Arabia.

Skelly represented the record-extending seventh Count Fleet victory for Santana and the record-extending sixth for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. 

A 5-year-old gelded son of Practical Joke, Skelly has a 14: 9-4-0 record and earnings of $1,460,163. A five-time stakes winner, he also won the $150,000 Lake Hamilton Stakes for older horses last May at Oaklawn.

Skelly races for Chris Hicks in the silks of Red Lane Thoroughbreds, which purchased him for $250,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton selected yearlings showcase sale.