Banishing Wins $1 Million Charles Town Classic

Banishing  continued to pay immense dividends for co-owner Lawrence P. Roman and trainer/co-owner David Jacobson by winning the $1 million Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2) Aug. 22 at Hollywood Casino At Charles Town Races.

The former Godolphin homebred, purchased for $80,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale, won his fourth stakes Friday night in West Virginia. He improved his career earnings to $1,890,709 while winning for the ninth time in 23 career starts. Seven of those wins and all his black type have come for Romans and Jacobson.

The favorite Skippylongstocking , who was going for an unprecedented third consecutive win in the Charles Town Classic, led for a half-mile in :47.97 but retreated after six furlongs and faded to finish last of eight.

Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Banishing was relaxed in sixth place the first time under the wire of the three-turn, 1 1/8-mile race. He came with a three-wide rush on the backstretch, joining the tiring leaders just as the field hit the final turn. Banishing took over from Komorebino Omoide  with two furlongs to go and won by 2 1/4 lengths.

Willy D's  rallied to finish second, and it was another three lengths back to stretch-running Gould's Gold  in third. The top three finishers were fifth, sixth, and eighth respectively after six furlongs. The winner's final time for 1 1/8 miles on the fast dirt was 1:53.26. Banishing paid $7.40.

Kentucky-bred Banishing, a 5-year-old Ghostzapper  gelding, is out of the winning A.P. Indy mare Dowager. Ghostzapper, who turned 25 this year, stands at Adena Springs North in Ontario. His stud fee was $75,000 during the 2025 breeding season.

Video: Charles Town Classic S. (G2)

Barbadian Runner Wins Hilton Memorial

Earlier on the undercard, AJ Will Win Stables' Barbadian Runner  upset the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes for 3-year-olds. Trained by Henry Walters and ridden by Forest Boyce, Barbadian Runner rallied from seventh place after a half-mile and ran down Neoequos  to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Final time for seven furlongs on the fast dirt was 1:26.39.

Faster Gator  finished third. Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Owen Almighty  finished last of eight as the 1.50-1 favorite.

A Maryland-bred gelding by Barbados , Barbadian Runner cost just $5,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale. He has won five times, including four stakes, in 17 starts and earned $643,690.

Video: Robert Hilton Memorial S. (BT)