Charles Town Classic

The Charles Town Classic is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and older over a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt held annually in August at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charles Town, West Virginia. The event currently carries a purse of $1,000,000.

Charles Town Classic
Grade II race
LocationHollywood Casino at Charles Town Races
Charles Town, West Virginia
Inaugurated2009
Race typeThoroughbred – Flat racing
WebsiteCharles Town Races
Race information
Distance1+1⁄8 miles
SurfaceDirt
TrackRight-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds and older
WeightBase weights with allowances:
Older: 123 lbs
3YOs: 121 lbs
PurseUS$1,000,000 (2022)

History

The event was inaugurated on 18 April 2009 and was won by the second favorite (16/5) Researcher who after taking the lead shortly before entering the stretch run, drawing off to win by a 2+1⁄4 margin in a time of 1:49.86. In 2009 the stakes distribution was as follows: If the winner had previously won a Grade 1 Stakes Race, then the purse was $1,000,000. If the winner had previously won a Grade 2 Stakes Race, then the purse was $750,000. If the winner had previously won a Grade 3 Stakes Race, then the purse was $600,000. If the winner had never before won a Graded Stakes Race, then the purse was $500,000. The official purse was $615,000.[1] Researcher won the event again the following year. However, Researcher was owned by a new owner, Kinross (Zohar Ben-Dov), only five days before the Classic. He was previously owned by Rutledge Farm, which was owned by the late Hermen Greenberg who had died earlier in the year in February.[2]

With the increased high stakes attributed to the racino the event immediately as attractive for four year old horses and older in the early spring.

In 2011 the event was upgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Grade 3 status.[3] The following year the event was upgraded once more to Grade 2.[4]

Charles Town Track Officials announced a new purse layout for the 2015 running of this race in order to attract the brightest stars in racing. This means that if the winner of the Classic has also won prestigious races there is $500,000 set aside from the purse for their Classic success.[5] For the 2015 highly talented Shared Belief was shipped in from California and set as the 3-10 odds-on favorite but stumbled badly and was eased by his jockey Mike E. Smith. Moreno, the third favorite went on to win the event and set a new track record in 1:48:81.[6]

Charles Town Track officials announced in December 2015 that the purse for the 2016 running of the Charles Town Classic would be reduced to $1,250,000.[7]

In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States the event was moved to an August schedule and the conditions were changed to allow three-year-olds to participate.[8]

Records

Speed Record:

  • 1:48.81 – Moreno (2015)

Margins:

  • 7+1⁄2 lengths – Sleepy Eyes Todd (2020)

Most Wins:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
2023 Skippylongstocking 4 Tyler Gaffalione Saffie Joseph Jr. Daniel Alonso 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.37 $1,000,000 II [9]
2022 Art Collector 5 Luis Saez William I. Mott Bruce Lunsford 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.30 $1,000,440 II [10]
2021 Art Collector 4 Luis Saez William I. Mott Bruce Lunsford 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.39 $800,000 II [11]
2020 Sleepy Eyes Todd 4 Carlos J. Delgado Miguel Angel Silva Thumbs Up Racing 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.82 $600,000 II [12]
2019 Runnin'toluvya 5 Oscar Flores Timothy C. Grams Gram Racing Stables 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.56 $1,000,000 II [13]
2018 Something Awesome 7 Edgar S. Prado Jose Corrales Stronach Stables 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.84 $1,150,000 II [14]
2017 Imperative 7 Javier Castellano Robert B. Hess Jr. Loooch Racing Stables & Imaginary Stables 1+1⁄8 miles 1:53.05 $1,250,000 II [15]
2016 Stanford 4 Javier Castellano Todd A. Pletcher Stonestreet Stables, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.55 $1,250,000 II [16]
2015 Moreno 5 Cornelio Velasquez Eric J. Guillot Southern Equine Stable 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.81 $1,450,000 II [17]
2014 Imperative 4 Kent J. Desormeaux George Papaprodromou KM Racing Enterprise 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.56 $1,500,000 II [18]
2013 Game On Dude 6 Mike E. Smith Bob Baffert Diamond Pride, Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable & Bernie Schiappa 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.93 $1,500,000 II [19]
2012 Caixa Eletronica 7 Javier Castellano Todd A. Pletcher Repole Stable 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.28 $1,000,000 II [20]
2011 Duke of Mischief 5 Joe Bravo David Fawkes Alex & JoAnn Lieblong, Marilyn McMaster & David Fawkes 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.13 $1,000,000 III [21]
2010 Researcher 6 Luis A. Perez Jeff C. Runco Kinross Corporation 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.94 $1,000,000 Listed [22]
2009 Researcher 5 Kendrick Carmouche Jeff C. Runco Rutledge Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.76 $615,000 Listed [1]

See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races

References
  1. "2009 Charles Town Classic Stakes Listed - (race 10)". Equibase. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  2. LaMarra, Tom (17 April 2010). "Another 'Classic' Victory by Researcher". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  3. "Charles Town Classic Stakes (Gr. 2)". www.equibase.com. 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  4. "CHARLES TOWN CLASSIC STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  5. BloodHorse Staff (22 December 2014). "New Purse Payout for Charles Town Classic". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  6. LaMarra, Tom (18 April 2015). "Shared Belief Eased as Moreno Wins CT Classic". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  7. LaMarra, Tom (23 December 2015). "WVRC OKs $1.25M Charles Town Classic Purse". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  8. Bloodhorse Staff (19 June 2020). "Lucrative Charles Town Classic Moved to Aug. 28". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  9. "2023 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 11)". Equibase. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  10. "2022 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 12)". Equibase. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  11. "2021 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 12)" (PDF). Equibase. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  12. "2020 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 11)". Equibase. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  13. "2019 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 11)". Equibase. 20 April 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  14. "2018 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 11)". Equibase. 21 April 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  15. "2017 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 11)". Equibase. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  16. "2016 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 12)". Equibase. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  17. "2015 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 12)". Equibase. 18 April 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  18. "2014 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 12)". Equibase. 19 April 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  19. "2013 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 12)". Equibase. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  20. "2012 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 2 - (race 12)". Equibase. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  21. "2011 Charles Town Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 10)". Equibase. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  22. "2010 Charles Town Classic Stakes Listed - (race 10)". Equibase. 17 April 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2021.


Videos
  • Charles Town Classic Video, Charles Town – April 16, 2011
  • Charles Town Classic Video, Charles Town – April 17, 2010
  • Charles Town Classic Video, Charles Town – April 18, 2009
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