Charles Town Oaks Explained

Surface:	Dirt
Class:	Grade II
Horse Race:	Charles Town Oaks
Location:	Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races Charles Town, West Virginia
Inaugurated:	2009
Race Type:	Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Website:	Charles Town Races
Distance:	7 furlongs
Track:	Left-handed
Qualification:	Fillies, three years old
Weight:	123 lbs with allowances
Purse:	$750,000 (2023)

The Charles Town Oaks is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three year old fillies, over a distance of 7 furlongs 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 $750,000.

History

The event was inaugurated in 2009 with stakes of $250,000. With such a purse the race attracted several good fillies and by 2014 the event was classified as a Grade III with $500,000 stakes.^[1]

Records

Speed record:

• 1:23.42 – Society (2022)

Margins:

• lengths  - Miss Behaviour (2014)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 2 – Fredy Peltroche (2018, 2020)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 – Steven M. Asmussen (2009, 2021, 2022)

Most wins by an owner:

• No owner has won the event more than once

Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Purse	Grade	Ref
2023	Vahva	John R. Velazquez	Cherie DeVaux	Belladonna Racing, Edward J. Hudson Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, LBD Stable, Nice Guys Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, Runnels Racing, Steve Hornstock & Twin Brook Stables	7 furlongs	1:25.01	$750,000	III	^[2]
2022		Tyler Gaffalione		Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds	7 furlongs	1:23.42	$500,440	III	^[3]
2021	† Pauline's Pearl		Steven M. Asmussen	Stonestreet Stables	7 furlongs	1:24.37	$400,000	III	^[4]
2020	Fly On Angel	Fredy Peltroche	Claudio A. Gonzalez	Joseph E. Besecker	7 furlongs	1:26.15	$200,000	III	^[5]
2019	Lady T N T	Juan D. Acosta	Joe Sharp	Scott & Evan Dilworth	7 furlongs	1:25.23	$300,000	III	^[6]
2018		Fredy Peltroche	Javier Contreras	Javier Contreras	7 furlongs	1:24.37	$300,000	III	^[7]
2017	Tequilita	Luis Saez		Dorothy A. Matz	7 furlongs	1:26.01	$300,000	III	^[8]
2016	Covey Trace	Arnaldo Bocachica	William J. Denzik Jr	Brook T. Smith & Denzik Thoroughbreds	7 furlongs	1:26.99	$350,000	III	^[9]
2015	Hot City Girl	Jose L. Ortiz		Lady Sheila Stable	7 furlongs	1:23.80	$350,000	III	^[10]
2014	Miss Behaviour	Jevian Toledo	Phil Schoenthal	Cal MacWilliam & Neil Teitelbaum	7 furlongs	1:24.69	$500,000	III	^[11]
2013	So Many Ways			Maggi Moss	7 furlongs	1:26.62	$400,000	Listed	^[12]
2012	Book Review	Javier Castellano	Chad C. Brown	Gary & Mary West	7 furlongs	1:24.65	$400,000	Listed	^[13]
2011	Strike the Moon	Julian Pimentel	Michael J. Trombetta	R. Larry Johnson	7 furlongs	1:24.64	$400,000	Listed	^[14]
2010	Derwin's Star		Steve Klesaris	Puglisi Racing & Steve Klesaris	7 furlongs	1:24.82	$400,000	Listed	^[15]
2009	Four Gifts	Robby Albarado		Heiligbrodt Racing Stables	7 furlongs	1:24.82	$250,000	Listed	^[16]

Notes:
† In the 2021 running of the event R Adios Jersey was first past the post and wagering was paid out as the winner, however the horse returned a positive after tests showed the presence of flunixin in her system ^[17] and consequently was disqualified from the prizemoney and was placed tenth (last). Pauline's Pearl was declared the official winner of the event.

See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races

Notes and References

1. Web site: Charles Town Oaks (Gr. 3). equibase. 19 April 2020. 19 April 2020.
2. Web site: 2022 Charles Town Oaks Grade 3 – (race 10) . Equibase. 25 August 2023. 26 August 2023.
3. Web site: 2022 Charles Town Oaks Grade 3 – (race 11) . Equibase. 26 August 2022. 27 August 2022.
4. Web site: 2021 Charles Town Oaks Grade 3 – (race 11) . Equibase. 27 August 2021. 24 August 2022.
5. Web site: 2020 Charles Town Oaks Grade 3 – (race 10) . Equibase. 28 August 2020. 29 August 2020.
6. Web site: 2019 Charles Town Oaks Grade 3 – (race 11) . Equibase. 21 September 2019. 19 April 2020.
7. Web site: 2018 Charles Town Oaks Grade 3 – (race 11) . Equibase. 22 September 2018. 19 April 2020.
8. Web site: 2017 Charles Town Oaks Grade 3 – (race 13) . Equibase. 23 September 2017. 19 April 2020.
9. Web site: 2016 Charles Town Oaks Grade 3 – (race 11) . Equibase. 17 September 2016. 19 April 2020.
10. Web site: 2015 Charles Town Oaks S. Grade 3 – (race 11) . Equibase. 19 September 2015. 19 April 2020.
11. Web site: 2014 Charles Town Oaks Grade 3 – (race 11) . Equibase. 20 September 2014. 19 April 2020.
12. Web site: 2013 Charles Town Oaks Listed – (race 12) . Equibase. 21 September 2013. 19 April 2020.
13. Web site: 2012 Charles Town Oaks Listed – (race 10) . Equibase. 22 September 2012. 19 April 2020.
14. Web site: 2011 Charles Town Oaks Listed – (race 10) . Equibase. 17 September 2011. 19 April 2020.
15. Web site: 2010 Charles Town Oaks Listed – (race 11) . Equibase. 18 September 2010. 19 April 2020.
16. Web site: 2009 Charles Town Oaks Listed – (race 10) . Equibase. 15 August 2009. 19 April 2020.
17. Web site: BloodHorse Staff . R Adios Jersey DQ'd in Charles Town Oaks, Baxter Fined; Trainer Georgina Baxter was fined $1,000 for the Class 4 drug violation. . 12 February 2022 . 24 August 2022.