Skelly Impressive in Third Lake Hamilton Victory

Practical Joke’s stalwart runner Skelly (6g Practical Joke x Adande, by Bwana Charlie) kept his perfect 2025 record alive on Friday with a victory in the Lake Hamilton Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Making his first start back since the Breeders’ Cup a winning one last month, he was looking to win his third straight Lake Hamilton here. As to be expected of a horse who went off at 1/9 odds, the 6-year-old immediately went to the lead in the six furlong run.

He clearly outclassed the field, building his margin with every stride and having over seven lengths on them with a furlong left. Jockey Ricardo Santa Jr. never let the gelding fully extend, but even then, he stopped the clock just a few ticks off the track record in his 10 ½ length victory.

Now the earner of $1,975,763, Skelly is trained by Steve Asmussen for Red Lane Thoroughbreds and was bred by Allen Poindexter.

He has won 12 of 21 starts with seven second place finishes as well with seven stakes victories and four stakes placings – led by a runner-up finish in the Grade I Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap.

Skelly is out of a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Isotherm, Grade III winner and Grade I-placed Giant Game, and Grade I placed Gio Game. Multiple stakes winner and Grade I-placed The Wine Steward was also produced by her half-sister.

This is the second stakes winner in as many days for Practical Joke, who also saw Mischievous Gal win an Oaklawn stakes on Thursday.