One other notable change to the stakes program is the renaming of the Eleanor Casey Memorial to the James and Eleanor Casey Memorial, after the recent passing of West Virginia racing icon James W. The stakes schedule kicks off April 15 with the Original Gold Stakes for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares, with seven more state-bred stakes during April, May, June, and July, with four more scheduled for the Charles Town Classic and Oaks undercard. For the first time, all non-Futurity or Breeders Classics' state-bred stakes will be run for $75,000 in 2023. 14, with purses to be announced at a later date for the state's premier night for West Virginia-breds. These totals exclude the West Virginia Breeders' Classics XXXVII card scheduled for Oct. 'The quality of the Charles Town Oaks fields have been exceptional, and we feel making the Oaks the richest 3-year-old filly stakes race in the country will continue that positive momentum for years to come.'Ĭharles Town's 2023 stakes schedule features 24 races worth an even $4 million in total purses. 'We're incredibly pleased with the business results of the last three Charles Town Classic programs and look forward to ramping up the card this August,' said Charlie McIntosh, Charles Town's director of racing operations. Since moving the Charles Town Classic and Oaks to the same card in 2020, the blockbuster program has produced three of the four largest single-card handles in track history, with the two largest coming in 20.

The other unrestricted stakes-the Russell Road and Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon-remain at $250,000. In addition to the Charles Town Oaks (G3), one other unrestricted stakes race on the Classic night undercard-the Robert Hilton Memorial for straight 3-year-olds-received a purse hike to $350,000. The Jeff Runco trainee will be pointed to the Charles Town Classic again in 2023, looking to improve on that second-place performance under Charles Town's reigning five-time leading rider, Arnaldo Bocachica. While unable to match the win of fellow West Virginia-bred Runnin'toluvya, David Raim's Muad'dib continued a trend of success for local runners in the Classic by finishing second last year before pulling off a repeat of his own in the Sam Huff West Virginia Breeders' Classic.

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