Charles Town Unveils 2026 Stakes Schedule

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races has released its 2026 stakes schedule following approval by the West Virginia Racing Commission. Charles Town's biggest day on the 2026 calendar follows up on a format that started in 2020, as Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races presents both of its graded stakes -- the $1 million Charles Town Classic (GII) and $750,000 Charles Town Oaks (GII) -- on the same Friday, August 28th card. The Classic and Oaks card gets underway with a special first post of 5 p.m. Eastern. Banishing captured the track's signature event in 2025, taking the Charles Town Classic under jockey Tyler Gaffalione for trainer David Jacobson. The gelded son of Ghostzapper remains in training as a 6-year-old, and would appear poised to attempt to become the fifth two-time winner of the Classic later this year. The Charles Town Oaks remains the richest sprint race for three-year-old fillies in North America. Last year's renewal was won by Indy Bay, giving trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. his second consecutive win in the race. Indy Bay will kick off her 4-year-old campaign in Saturday's Inside Information Stakes (GII) at Gulfstream Park, and the daughter of Take Charge Indy will be a candidate for a return trip to Charles Town to contest the $300,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes for older fillies and mares -- which received a $50,000 purse increase -- on the Charles Town Classic and Oaks undercard. The Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes joins the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial (L) as the remaining unrestricted stakes races on the program. Since moving the Charles Town Classic and Oaks to the same card in 2020, the blockbuster program has produced six of the seven largest single-card handles in track history. Charles Town's 2026 stakes schedule features 21 stakes races worth $3.8 million in total purses. These totals exclude the West Virginia Breeders' Classics XL card scheduled for October 10th, with purses to be announced at a later date for the state's premier night for West Virginia-breds. The stakes schedule kicks off on April 11th with the Original Gold Stakes for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares, with seven more state-bred stakes to follow over the course of April, May, June, and July, with two more scheduled for the Charles Town Classic and Oaks undercard. Charles Town has once again supplemented all non-WVBC West Virginia-bred stakes purses by $25,000. "We're incredibly optimistic about the 2026 season," said Charlie McIntosh, Charles Town's Director of Racing Operations. "With graded stakes like the Charles Town Classic and Oaks anchoring a blockbuster card that's consistently shattered handle records, plus enhanced purses across the board -- including a $50,000 boost to the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes -- we're set to attract top talent and deliver thrilling racing for our fans. The continued support for West Virginia-breds through supplemented purses ensures a strong foundation, and with 165 days of action ahead, this year promises to elevate our program even further." The 2026 racing calendar calls for 165 days of live racing, including a Wednesday through Saturday schedule in January, February, March, the second half of November, and December, with racing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday the remainder of the year. Post time for all but Charles Town Classic and Oaks day is 7 p.m. Eastern.