Niche gamely upsets Charles Town Oaks
Fends off At a Premium’s bid
Frank Vespe
August 28, 2026
Niche had “some kind of immaturity things” early in her career that prevented her from running to her potential, Steve Davison said Saturday evening.
But after her resolute victory in the $750,000, Grade 2 Charles Town Oaks, it seems those things may be behind the Rob Atras trainee.
Davison, the owner of Louisiana’s Twin Creeks Farm and partner in the Red White and Blue Racing LLC operation that owns Niche, was all smiles on his first visit to Charles Town.
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Under a heady Dylan Davis ride, Niche, a three-year-old daughter of Yaupon, zipped to the early lead, threw down testing early fractions, and held off a spirited challenge from local hopeful and surprising post time favorite At a Premium to win by a neck in 1:25.36 for seven furlongs on a fast main track.
The win was Niche’s third in her last four starts, the lone blemish in that stretch a solid runner-up finish last out in the $100,000 Lady Erie on the synthetic at Presque Isle. That race, Davison said, was “a step forward.”
But still.
“It was taking a swing, but she rewarded us,” he acknowledged of tonight’s contest.
Early speed is typically an asset on Charles Town’s bullring configuration, and it’s one that Niche possesses aplenty.
Tonight’s contest quickly developed into a duel between Niche and At a Premium, the David Walters-trained West Virginia-bred who had won her first four starts, all over the strip, by a combined total of more than 40 lengths. Regular pilot Jeiron Barbosa was aboard At a Premium, who took a flood of late money to leave the gate as the 3-5 favorite.
Niche and At a Premium were one-two at every call – in that order – as Niche ripped off fractions of 23:20 seconds for the first quarter and an especially zippy 46.77 for the half. Yet At a Premium was shadowing just to her outside and appeared poised to pounce.
“The best thing about this filly is her gate speed,” said jockey Dylan Davis of Niche. “She’s just so quick when they open the gates. Tonight I just wanted to be on the lead before the first turn and see how far she would go.”
Rounding the turn, those two sprinted away from the rest, and as they turned for home, it appeared At a Premium would go by. But Niche refused to yield, those two flashing across the finish line almost as one. Tahlequah, the Saffie Joseph trainee, rallied smartly for third but was never a threat to the top pair.
“When [At a Premium] came to her down the backside and on the far turn, my filly just dug in,” Davis said.
Niche now has three wins from eight starts and purse earnings of more than $550,000. Niche paid $30.00 to win and topped an exacta, with the favorite underneath, that returned $36 for a one-dollar wager.
Part-owner Davison said he wasn’t sure what might be next. Then again, he had plenty to celebrate tonight.
“We haven’t really thought much past this one,” he said. “This one was kind of something we had circled.”
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