Just weeks ahead of the ten-year anniversary of his first win in the Charles Town Oaks, trainer Tom Amoss is hoping history repeats itself with Hoosier Philly. His star filly will take on nine others with two alternates in the $750,000 Charles Town Oaks (G3) – now the richest three-year-old filly sprint race in North America, and the most lucrative race on the undercard of Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races' marquee night of the year that features the $1,000,000 Charles Town Classic (G2).
The two graded stakes on the program are joined by the $350,000 Robert Hilton Memorial, the $250,000 Russell Road, $250,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon, and four $75,000 restricted stakes on Friday night, which gets underway at 5 p.m. ET. The night also offers some terrific wagering opportunities for horseplayers with a $100,000 guaranteed All-Stakes Pick 5 that kicks off in Race 7, a $100,000 guaranteed Pick 4 that starts with Race 10 and a mandatory distribution of the Charles Town 6-12 jackpot carryover that currently sits at $50,456 which gets underway in Race 8.
Hoosier Philly had all the hype this winter as the early Kentucky Oaks (G1) favorite. Trainer Tom Amoss, whose aforementioned Charles Town Oaks win came with Maggi Moss' So Many Ways, hailed her as the best horse he had ever trained. But while the first half of 2023 had a few hiccups for Hoosier Philly, she's coming off of an impressive front-running score in the Monomoy Girl Stakes at Ellis Park, and showed that there is still plenty of time for the daughter of Into Mischief to prove Amoss right.
“She's tactical,” said Amoss of his filly. “She has good early quickness, so she can adjust to however the race unfolds. She'll have no trouble with the turns. I've always had a good time up there [at Charles Town] and we're looking forward to getting back there Friday night.”
Another past Oaks-winning trainer will be well represented in this year's running, with trainer Chad Brown sending out a pair of graded stakes placed Klaravich Stable runners in Interpolate and Undervalued Asset.
“Both fillies seem like they fit class-wise and would potentially fit a two-turn seven furlong race,” said Brown. “Obviously the purse is a big attraction. And having two riders that we know well is also a plus.”
Junior Alvarado will have the call on Interpolate, with last year's Oaks-winning rider Tyler Gaffalione up on Undervalued Asset. Brown's first Charles Town Oaks win came with Gary and Mary West's Book Review in 2012, a victory Brown remembers fondly.
“Book Review was a big win for us. She was a very nice horse who went on to finish her career with Bob Baffert. Our stable is a lot bigger now and I like to think I'm maybe a bit wiser now, too.”
The person who saddled Book Review that night eleven years ago? Then-assistant trainer Cherie DeVaux, who will be sending out Vahva in this year's edition. What's more is that Vahva's dam, Holiday Soiree, finished second in the Charles Town Oaks to none other than Book Review in that 2012 contest.
“It's been a long time,” said DeVaux of that night in 2012. “I remember that was a marathon day for us. We started at Parx and then down to Charles Town. I remember it was very well-attended and the fans really support the product there.”
As for Vahva, DeVaux says, “she has been training really well. She has been two turns, but the distance of those races were a bit too long. So we think the two-turn seven furlongs should be a good fit.”
Prior to sending out a pair of runners in the Charles Town Classic, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. will send out Imonra in the Oaks. The daughter of Violence is coming off a runner-up effort in the Iowa Oaks (G3).
“I think a mile or a mile and 1/16th is probably her best distance, but the two-turn configuration will off-set that a little bit,” Joseph said. “She became graded stakes placed last time and we're hoping to do one better this time around.”
Trainer Arnaud Delacour sends out Opus Forty Two, runner-up last out in the Delaware Oaks (G3). And while that race was a two-turn mile and 1/16th, she also has a seven furlong stakes win under her belt this winter in the Gasparilla at Tampa.
“This race should be a good spot for her,” said Delacour. “She's got tactical speed. Hopefully she can break well and get a good position. But we'll see. We have been very happy with her since her last race. It was a good performance.”
Chismosa ships in from California for trainer Rafael DeLeon. The daughter of Charles Town Classic-alum Clubhouse Ride is coming off a pair of runner-up efforts in Sunshine State stakes, including a game second to older filly Eda in the Great Lady M Stakes (G2) at Los Alamitos.
Trainer Michael McCarthy sends out Lily Poo for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. The versatile daughter of Tapiture has run well on all three surfaces, but appears to be getting back to her preferred dirt surface, where she has tallied a pair of graded stakes placed performances in the Summertime Oaks (G2) and Indiana Oaks (G3).
Rounding out the field are Late Frost for Charles Town Oaks-winning trainer Michael Matz, Metaphysical for trainer Jeff Hiles, and both Twice as Sweet for Brendan Walsh and Perfect Wish for Jayde Gelner on the also-eligible list.
The Charles Town Oaks is scheduled as Race 10 on the night with a post time of 9:44 p.m. ET.
$750,000 CHARLES TOWN OAKS (G3)
August 25, 2023
Race 10 – Post time 9:44pm ET
Fillies 3YO, 7 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
- Vahva, John Velazquez, 118, Cherie DeVaux
- Late Frost, Jaime Rodriguez, 120, Michael Matz
- Interpolate, Junior Alvarado, 120, Chad Brown
- Metaphysical, Joe Talamo, 118, Jeff Hiles
- Chismosa, Tiago Pereira, 118, Rafael DeLeon
- Hoosier Philly, Edgar Morales, 120, Tom Amoss
- Imonra, Trevor McCarthy, 118, Saffie Joseph, Jr.
- Lily Poo, Arnaldo Bocachica, 120, Michael McCarthy
- Opus Forty Two, Daniel Centeno, 120, Arnaud Delacour
- Undervalued Asset, Tyler Gaffalione, 118, Chad Brown
Also Eligible:
11. Twice as Sweet, Declan Cannon, 118, Brendan Walsh
12. Perfect Wish, Floyd Wethey, Jr., 120, Jayde Gelner
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