HOT SPRINGS — Win Willy was less than a length from becoming a millionaire.
Instead, Donoharm held off Win Willy and several other challengers to win the $75,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horses Friday afternoon at Oaklawn Park.
Cliff Berry, Oaklawn’s leading rider the past two years, guided Donoharm to a neck victory over Skyring.
Win Willy, the 2011 Fifth Season winner, finished just a half-length farther back in third after a hugging the rail turning for home and through the stretch.
Win Willy’s $7,500 check leaves him with $967,887 in career earnings.
“He tried really hard,” said Alex Cintron, who rode Win Willy. “He came right up the rail and got bumped a little at the quarter pole, but it wasn’t enough to cost him the race.”
Win Willy finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Master Rick, who was followed, in order, by Eye of the Leopard, Double Rah Rah, It Happened Again, 7-5 favorite Endorsement and Stachys.
Double Rah Rah is owned by Bob and Val Yagos of Jacksonville and is trained by Jinks Fires of Hot Springs.
Donoharm earned $45,000 for his victory and paid $29, $11.40 and $5.80. Skyring paid $8.40 and $5.20. Win Willy paid $3.80.
It was the fourth consecutive victory for Donoharm, who captured the $70,000 Sam’s Town Stakes on Nov. 17 at Delta Downs in Louisiana in his last start.
A 4-year-old Lemon Drop Kid gelding, Donoharm races for Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch and is trained by Bret Calhoun.
A forward factor from the start, Donoharm covered 1 1/16 miles over a good but tiring surface in 1:49.07.
“You had to kind of keep him together,” Berry said. “Every pole, I’m thinking, he’s going to get tired. But he just kept running.”
Donoharm has a 5-2-3 record from 14 lifetime starts and earnings of $182,080.
Sports, Pages 25 on 01/12/2013