Two starters from the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), 2024 participant Skelly and 2025 runner Banishing, headline the $150,000 Ring The Bell Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 6 furlongs Dec. 13 at Oaklawn Park.
Skelly, a 6-furlong specialist and local star, is bidding for a record-tying seventh career Oaklawn stakes victory and a record-extending 11th consecutive victory overall in Hot Springs, Ark.
Skelly emerged as a top sprinter during the 2022-23 Oaklawn meeting with victories in the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) and Lake Hamilton Stakes. During the 2023-24 Oaklawn meeting, Skelly won the King Cotton Stakes, Count Fleet, and Lake Hamilton.
After finishing 10th in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Sprint, Skelly returned to win an April allowance optional claiming race at Oaklawn by 5 1/4 lengths. He then romped by 10 1/2 lengths in the Lake Hamilton May 2, covering 6 furlongs over a sloppy, sealed surface in 1:08.15, just off the 1:07.80 track record.
Skelly, however, is winless in his last three starts, including a sixth-place finish in his last race, the 6-furlong Phoenix Stakes (G2) Oct. 3 at Keeneland.
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said Skelly, a 6-year-old Practical Joke gelding owned by Red Lane Thoroughbreds, is at a crossroads in his 24-race career because of gate trouble that has resurfaced in his last three races, leading to sluggish starts that have impacted his freakish natural early speed.
Skelly, a 5-2 morning-line shot, will be reunited with jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. in the Ring The Bell, which drew a field of eight. Skelly is scheduled to break from post 4.
Pinpointing Skelly's recent struggles, Asmussen said, "Getting away from the gates. It was there before and now it's come back."
All 10 of Skelly's Oaklawn victories have been at 6 furlongs and with Santana in the irons. Swift Ruler and champion Whitmore share the Oaklawn record for career stakes victories with seven.
Banishing, pegged at 3-1 odds, starred at the 2024-25 Oaklawn meeting for trainer David Jacobson, posting a 3-2-0 record from five starts and earning $765,875. Jacobson Racing owns Banishing with Lawrence Roman.
Banishing opened with victories in a December allowance race and the inaugural $145,000 Byerley Turk Overnight Stakes—both at 6 furlongs—before capturing the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile Stakes (G3) March 29.
Banishing added victories in the Jeff Hall Memorial Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs July 20 at Ellis Park and the Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles Aug. 22 at Hollywood Casino At Charles Town Races. He exits a 12th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at 6 furlongs Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
"He's doing great," Jacobson said. "Starting over, like we did last year."
The 2-1 program favorite is Roll On Big Joe for trainer Bob Hess Jr. Roll On Big Joe exits a 4 1/2-length victory in the 6-furlong Bet on Sunshine Stakes Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs. Roll On Big Joe is cross-entered in Saturday's $250,000 Holiday Cheer Stakes at Turfway Park.
Millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Tejano Twist and the Jacobson-trained Durante are also entered in the Ring The Bell. Durante was an upset winner over Skelly in the 6-furlong Aristides Stakes (G3) May 31 at Churchill Downs.
"I have a strong entry," Jacobson said.
Second I D, Ghost of Midnight and Spankster complete the field.
Oaklawn Park, Saturday, December 13, 2025, Race 8Entries: Ring The Bell S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Second I D (KY) Tyler W. Bacon 117 Robert A. Young 15/1 2 2Durante (KY) Cristian A. Torres 124 David Jacobson 8/1 3 3Tejano Twist (KY) Rafael Bejarano 124 Chris A. Hartman 9/2 4 4Skelly (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 124 Steven M. Asmussen 5/2 5 5Ghost of Midnight (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 117 Sean Williams 20/1 6 6Roll On Big Joe (FL) Julien R. Leparoux 124 Robert B. Hess, Jr. 2/1 7 7Banishing (KY) Luis Saez 124 David Jacobson 3/1 8 8Spankster (KY) Francisco Arrieta 121 S. Jade Cunningham 20/1
