HOT SPRINGS -- In the span of just three months and four races, Willow Creek Road went from maiden winner to stakes winner, stalking the early pace to win Saturday's $200,000 Arkansas Breeders' Championship before a closing day crowd of 22,500 at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort.
Breaking from post position six under jockey Eduardo Gallarado, Willow Creek Road, who made a winning debut Feb. 4 at Oaklawn, raced in second early as Mahomey led the field through fractions of :23 and :47 for the first half mile. The winner took over as the field rounded the turn for home and had enough left to hold off the fast closing King Peanut to win by a neck in 1:44 1/5 for 1 1/16 miles over a fast track. Dinner at Crumpies was third.
Willow Creek Road, a 4-year-old Hightail colt bred by Dr. J.W. Clement DVM, has now won three of four career starts and has earned $238,300 for trainer Mac Robertson and owners Jac Mac Stable LLC, Stanley Thrash and Gary Thomas. He returned $37.60, $13.60 and $10 at odds of $17-to-1.
Heavily favored Skelly became the first four-time winner at the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting, cruising to a three-length victory in Saturday's inaugural $150,000 Lake Hamilton Stakes for older horses at six furlongs.
Under eight-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr., Skelly ($2.80) took command at the start and wasn't seriously challenged in winning his fourth consecutive race, all in front-running fashion. Skelly was being wheeled back in three weeks by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen after capturing the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older horses April 15.
"He's a nice horse," Santana said. "I've got to give a lot of credit to the exercise rider [Adolfo Garcia]. That horse isn't easy, man. As soon as he figured that horse out, how to gallop, this horse has improved more and more. He did it easy today. He only had [three] weeks off and I knew he was going to be a little bit tired. I'm really happy with how the horse has developed."
Sir Wellington finished second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Edge to Edge, who was followed, in order, by Tut's Revenge, Walker's Win, Joe Frazier and Morello.
Carrying equal top weight of 122 pounds, Skelly covered six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09. Skelly paid $2.80, $2.60 and $2.10. Sir Wellington paid $11.40 and $5.40. Edge to Edge paid $2.60.
A 4-year-old gelded son Practical Joke, Skelly raised his career earnings to $642,513 following his fifth victory from nine starts. Skelly, purchased for $250,000 as a yearling, races for Red Lane Thoroughbreds (Chris Hicks).
In addition to the Count Fleet and Lake Hamilton, Skelly won a first-level allowance Feb. 25 and a second-level allowance March 17. All four of Skelly's victories were at 6 furlongs.
Saturday was closing day of the 2022-23 season. Live racing resumes Friday, Dec. 8 and will continue through Saturday, May 4, 2024.