Skippylongstocking, the cross-country traveling 7-year-old, makes his 40th career start on Friday night in the $1 million Charles Town Classic (G2) at the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.
The track is a familiar spot for Skippylongstocking, who has won the Classic two times – in 2023 and 2024. He’ll go for an unprecedented third victory, taking on last year’s winner Banishing, who was cross-entered for Saturday’s Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, but appears set to run Friday night.
Trained by Saffie Joseph. Jr., Skippylongstocking has won two of four starts in 2026, starting the year off by capturing the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park. He also won the Essex Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park in June, then ran second in the Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs and third in the Monmouth Cup (G3) at Monmouth Park.
His 2025 attempt at a third Classic win at Charles Town did not go well – he “yielded’’ around the final turn according to the Equibase chart and finished about 40 lengths behind Banishing.
The Classic headlines Friday’s card that also features the Charles Town Oaks (G2) and three other stakes races.
A field of 10 is entered, with Skippylongstocking the 3-1 morning-line favorite over Banishing at 4-1. Barbadian Runner is 9-2, Willy D’s is 5-1, and Bullard is 6-1 for trainer Michael McCarthy.
Following his Charles Town win in 2025, Banishing won the Godolphin Mile (G2) at Meydan for co-owner and trainer David Jacobson. As in 2025, he used the Jeff Hall Memorial Stakes at Ellis Park as his prep, winning the race both times.
The two-time winners of the race are Researcher, Imperative, and Art Collector.
Francisco Arrieta will be aboard Banishing, leaving from post 8. Jacobson also entered Prince of Power. A son of Ghostzapper, Banishing has won 11 of 31 career starts with earnings of $3.1 million, much of it coming from the $1.7 million winner’s share from the Pegasus World Cup.
Skippylongstocking will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione – who was aboard for the 2023 and 2024 wins here -- and leave from the outside post 10. In last year’s edition, it was determined Skippy had a case of the “thumps,” which stems from an electrolyte imbalance.
Joseph also sends out Full Screen, with Paco Lopez aboard.
Barbadian Runner, trained by Henry Walters, has finished first or second in his last 12 races (none of them graded stakes), most recently finishing second in the Yorktown Stakes at Colonial Downs. Prior to that race, he won the Deputed Testamony at Laurel on June 27.
“He’s always been strong on the turns,” said Walters. “Earlier in his career, he was always getting in trouble in his races. Most of it was self-inflicted. Once he got his head straight, he’s been an incredibly honest horse.”
Forest Boyce, the 4-year-old gelding’s regular ride, will have the call again leaving from post 9.
“He always breaks sharp,” said Walters. “After about 10 strides, he settles into his own rhythm. Having an outside post for this race, it’s hard to envision how it will shape up. But the plan will be to get a position early, let speed run away from him and hopefully tuck in.”
Willy D’s returns for trainer Mike Maker following last year’s second-place finish. In March, the 5-year-old gelding won his first graded stakes race, the Kentucky Cup Classic (G3) at Turfway Park. Ricardo Santana, Jr. will ride from post 2.
Bullard, a son of Gun Runner, is looking for a first big score. He won the Bob Hope Stakes (G3) at Del Mar as a 2-year-old and comes in off a second in the Cornhusker Handicap (G3) at Prairie Meadows.
“We feel like we have a tactical horse that can lay behind the controlling speed,” McCarthy said. “He has a favorable post position. In a race like this, you have a Plan A, then you play the break, and if necessary go to Plan B. Kazushi [Kimura] knows the horse, and he’s a big-race rider, so we have a lot of confidence going in.”
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen also has an entry in Gigante (12-1), a 6-year-old who runs mostly on turf but has four wins and six starts on dirt in his 31-race career. He ran third in the Cornhusker Handicap. Luis Saez rides from the rail.
The Charles Town Classic is race 11 with a post time of 10:25 p.m. ET.
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gigante (VA) | L Saez | S M Asmussen | 12/1 |
| 2 | Willy D's (KY) | R Santana, Jr. | M J Maker | 5/1 |
| 3 | Xcellent Start (WV) | F Peltroche | W S Sanderson | 50/1 |
| 4 | Full Screen (ON) | P Lopez | S A Joseph, Jr. | 15/1 |
| 5 | Prince of Power (KY) | D Davis | D Jacobson | 20/1 |
| 6 | Bullard (KY) | K Kimura | M W McCarthy | 6/1 |
| 7 | Dragoon Guard (KY) | M Franco | B H Cox | 6/1 |
| 8 | Banishing (KY) | F Arrieta | D Jacobson | 4/1 |
| 9 | Barbadian Runner (MD) | F Boyce | H Walters | 9/2 |
| 10 | Skippylongstocking (KY) | T Gaffalione | S A Joseph, Jr. | 3/1 |
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
