Exacta for Practical Joke In G3 Count Fleet

For the second time this Oaklawn Park meet, Skelly (5g Practical Joke x Adande, by Bwana Charlie) and Tejano Twist (5g Practical Joke x Haley’s Lolipop, by Cuvee) registered a 1 – 2 finish, this time in the Grade III Count Fleet Sprint.

Skelly wasn’t going to give anyone a chance to seriously challenge him in the six furlong race, clearing the field early and setting a blistering pace. He had over three lengths on the field turning into the stretch and was allowed to gallop home at his own speed by jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

Tejano Twist closed late from his last place position but was still three lengths behind at the line.

Skelly has won his last eight U.S. starts with his only loss in that period coming when second in the Group III Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Suadi Arabia. Trained by Steve Asmussen for Red Lane Thoroughbreds, the 5-year-old bred by Allen Poindexter has won nine of his 14 starts with four second place finishes for $1,460,163 in earnings.

Skelly’s dam Adande is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Isotherm and Grade III winner and Grade I placed Giant Game in addition to Grade I-placed Gio Game.

She isn’t the only stakes producer for her own dam with a half-sister producing last year’s stakes winner and Grade I placed The Wine Steward. The Wine Steward was also seen on the track Saturday when second in the Grade III Lexington Stakes.

Practical Joke’s six stakes winners this year is second among all North American sires behind only his own sire Into Mischief.