Willy D’s turns tables to win G2 Charles Town Classic
Fends off stern challenge from defending champ Banishing
Ted Black
August 29, 2026
Heading into the latest edition of a wide-open renewal of the Grade 2, $1 million Charles Town Classic much of the attention focused on the two previous champs squaring off.
Two-time winner Skippylongtocking was made the lukewarm 3-1 favorite, while Banishing, last year’s winner, was 5-1. Meanwhile, last year’s runner-up, Willy D’s, got slightly overlooked but reminded onlookers of his ability soon after the start.
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Sent away as the 7-1 fourth choice in the field from post two, Willy D’s, with Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the irons, was able to turn the tables on Burnishing in a number of ways. Instead of attempting to corral the leaders from off the pace as he had done one year earlier, Willy D’s broke sharply to gain the early advantage through the far turn the first time with Burnishing away in good order to sit just off his flank. Skippylongstocking looked to settle off the pace after breaking from the outside 10 slot.
The early advantage for Willy D’s proved to be quite rewarding. With Burnishing virtually glued to his flank through modest splits of 23.94, 47.25 and 1:11.66 through the first three calls, Willy D’s had more than enough left in the tank to rebuff the defending champion and edged clear late to a 1 3/4-length score while stopping the timer in 1:50.68 for the nine furlongs. Skippylongstocking, the 2023 and 2024 champ, rallied for third in his fourth outing in this event.
A five-year-old Lookin’ At Lucky gelding trained by Michael Maker for co-owners Paradise Farm and Case Chambers, Willy D’s notched his third win from five seasonal tries and now owns an 8-7-2 slate and over $1.5 million banked from 29 career outings. He had won one Grade 3 stakes in his career, but the Classic was his first Grade 2 score.
“All the credit goes to the trainer,” said jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr., who earlier on the card had won the $300,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes aboard the Maker-trained Foie Gras. “He had him ready. When he broke the way he did, I knew he was going to be tough to overtake. I had a lot of horse under me turning for home.”
“He just was in a little too tough in the [Grade I] Stephen Foster,” Maker said. “Tonight he broke well and made the front and he got around the turns much better than he did last year. I’m not sure where he’ll go next. After the race he ran here last year, this was our main goal with him coming back this year.”
“Mike’s a great horseman and a great partner,” said co-owner Peter Proscia of Paradise Farms. “We select them together at the sales and then he gets them ready. Tonight I thought he would run well. He’s got speed and he was able to break from the inside. Once he made the front, I knew he would be tough to catch. It was quite a good night.”
NOTES Favorites held serve in a pair of state-bred stakes contested after the big one… Defending West Virginia-bred horse of the year Teachintherelease by three lengths at 4-5 odds with Carlos Lopez up for trainer Stephen Murdock and owner Robert Cole, Jr… Overnight Pow Wow, off at 2-5, went straight to the front and was never challenged in a four-length win in the Sadie Hawkins… Charles Town handled more than $7.7 million on the evening…
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