Analyzing Charles Town Classic night stakes
Nine stakes to dig into
The Biz
August 28, 2026
The Charles Town Classic night card Friday features a bumper crop of stakes, and we take a look at each of them.
In fact, there are nine all told, ranging from $50,000 overnight events to a pair of Grade 2 races in the $1 million Charles Town Classic and $750,000 Charles Town Oaks.
Let’s take a look:
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Shenandoah Stakes
- 3-year-olds and up, 7 furlongs
This race feels like it was supposed to be a breeze for #4 Faster Gator, whose only defeat over the strip came in last year’s Hilton Memorial, in which he and Neoequos slugged it out in a grueling pace battle, to which Barbadian Runner said “Thanks very much!” as he blew by to win… but trainer Mike Maker decided to enter Grade 1-placed The Wine Steward, who’ll be an absolute handful on best.
But will we see his best? Tough to know; he hasn’t raced since February, when he was up the track, and his immediate prior start wasn’t great either.
At the morning line, it feels like Faster Gator’s recency, terrific early speed, and affinity for the strip make him the better value.
Autumn Stakes
- WV-bred fillies and mares, 4 ½ furlongs
This one seems likely to come down to a battle between proven veteran Maggie’s Girl, winner of last year’s Blue and Gold, and now horse Thelastsay, a winner of three of four with gaudy speed figs. Do note: when they last met, in the April 11 Fancy Buckles, Maggie’s Girl got the money and was almost three clear of Thelastsay.
Last Enchantment Stakes
- WV-breds, 4 ½ furlongs
Here’s a note: Duncan Idaho has not been freshly gelded, despite what your past performances may say: he’s been a gelding for quite some time. Regardless, he seems poised to continue his reign of terror over the state-bred dash division, facing a main rival in Honeyquist he’s defeated eight times. He’s also drawn towards the outside where he likes to be, so if he breaks well, he’ll be perfectly spotted for the stalk-and-pounce trip he wants.
Inclined towards a price? Give a look to the improving #3 Tico Grande, who ran a good one in his first try of the season when just missing and nine clear of the rest…
Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes
- Fillies and mares three and up, 7 furlongs
Last year Mystic Lake got loose on the lead in a four-horse field and declined to come back to the field, winning by three lengths over the Grade 1 winner Vahva. She’s got plenty of back class (and her current form would contend, too), but it’s hard to see her getting loose in this eight-horse field filled with early speed types.
Three of these – Grade 2 winner Irish Maxima, Mystic Lake, and the multiple graded stakes-placed Foie Gras – appear simply better than the rest. Of that group, it’s #8 Foie Gras, with plentiful class and proven ability to run into the pace, who seems most attractive.
Looking for a price? Might be worth considering #1 Icona Mama, who’ll be running late and whose two-back outing behind last year’s Grade 2 Raven Run winner Kappa Kappa was exceptional.
Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes
- 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs
This race might be as close to a free square as you’ll get on the card if #3 Solitude Dude posts. The Saffie Joseph trainee just missed in the Grade 2 Amsterdam last out behind the talented Local Knowledge, and his only poor outing came when cooked up front by the supremely talented Englishman.
If something goes awry, Saffie might be positioned to pick up the slack with his other runner, #2 Bravaro, who just missed at Colonial in the Petramalo Mile last out.
The pace could be lively here, and one who might benefit from that is the Dallas Stewart trainee #1 Corono de Oro. Well beaten in the Preakness, he won an allowance two back and is starting to feel like he might want to be a closing sprinter.
Grade 2 Charles Town Oaks
- 3-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs
The morning line says this is an intriguing matchup between graded stakes-proven runner #5 Luv Your Neighbor, the Mike Stidham trainee who’s 8-5, and local hopeful #9 At a Premium (9-5).
Is it? It very well could be. At a Premium has only faced local state-breds, but she’s destroyed them in all four of her starts, just the way a good filly should: by a combined total of more than 40 lengths. She’ll have to overcome the outside draw (the nine- and 10-holes are a combined 3-for-53 going seven furlongs this year), but she has plenty of early speed to get out and work her way down towards the rail.
If At a Premium could clear and control the pace, she will be tough to reel in. If it’s contested, look for Luv Your Neighbor to be the beneficiary.
Grade 2 Charles Town Classic
- 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/8 miles
What an intriguing renewal of the Classic this is: two former champs in #8 Banishing and #10 Skippylongstocking, who together have won the last three editions; popular Maryland-bred #9 Barbadian Runner; last year’s runner-up in #2 Willy D’s, and others.
We’re inclined in the direction of Barbadian Runner. This Barbados gelding, who likes a target to aim at, has run nine furlongs five times in his career. In four of them, he caught a much slower than average pace for the level; in the fifth, when the pace was lively, he won off by four lengths.
Overall he’s 4-for-5 at the trip and a head removed from a spotless record. He’ll have to work out a trip from the outside, which may not be easy, and he’ll get a class test, but he should catch a lively pace.
And as for the class test? Well, he did split a pair of decisions versus multiple graded winner Post Time last year.
Where will the pace come from? Several places, it seems: horses who typically show speed include Willy D’s, longshot David Jacobson trainee #5 Prince of Power, the Brad Cox-trained #7 Dragoon Guard, and two-time champ Skippylongstocking.
Even Banishing, last year’s kingpin, won the 6 ½-furlong Jeff Hall Memorial last out as part of the pace. The presence of Prince of Power, however, seems to suggest that, assuming Banishing posts, he’ll look to reprise last year’s effort, when he mounted a bold middle move and then held off the late runners to win.
As for Skippylongstocking, his disastrous outing here last year apparently left him none the worse for wear. He bounced back to win three straight, including the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup, and that all seems to suggest we shouldn’t hold his tough Monmouth Cup against him; winner Knightsbridge returned to win the Pacific Classic by six lengths.
Frank Gall Memorial Stakes
- WV-breds three and up, 7 furlongs
We thought that his allowance outing Aug. 1 – his first start of the year – might be the race to catch Teachintherelease, the reigning West Virginia-bred Horse of the Year.
Boy, were we wrong about that. He stalked the pace and then drew away smartly to win by more than four lengths over Jubawithatwist, who’s also here. Others worth noting include # 2 Ray of Sunshine, winner of the Confucius Say three back; #4 Catch the Humor, second a head in that event; and #5 Spotafreeone, the beaten favorite in that race who turned the tables on Ray of Sunshine last out.
But all in all, it looks like it’s Teachintherelease and everyone else.
Sadie Hawkins Stakes
- Fillies and mares three and up, 7 furlongs
Seven of the 10 runners from the May 30 Original Gold will line up in this contest, including the top four, led by winner and likely chalk #8 Overnight Pow Wow, a winner of six of nine at the trip and 13 of 22 overall.
The race poses a class test for now horse #2 Malibu Years, a five-year-old Golden Years mare who, after a mostly nondescript career, has suddenly rattled off three consecutive very strong races for trainer Bobby Barber. A fourth might make her one of the more unlikely stakes winners of recent vintage.
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