Tipsheet: 2026 Charles Town Classic
Barbadian Runner (Photo by Equi-Photo/Monmouth Park)
August 26th, 2026
A deep field of 10 will run 1 1/8 miles on the dirt in Friday’s lucrative, $1 million Charles Town Classic S. (G2).
Charles Town Classic Picks
- #9 Barbadian Runner
- #8 Banishing
- #10 Skippylongstocking
- #4 Full Screen
Charles Town Classic Wagers
Charles Town Classic Contenders
#1 GIGANTE (12-1): Asmussen trainee has won or placed in six of his seven lifetime runs on the main oval and draws inside for his local debut. The Not This Time six-year-old is a consistently hard-trying bay who will be coming from off the pace in a field with a lot of pace under Luis Saez.
#2 WILLY D’S (5-1): Speedy Grade 3 victor from the Maker shedrow will make his first appearance since facing a tough group in the Stephen Foster (G1) in June. The five-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky was runner-up in the race in 2025 and wouldn’t be a big surprise off the layoff with Ricardo Santana, Jr. in for the ride.
#3 XCELLENT START (50-1): Outsider in the field has good local experience with eight wins on the grounds, but his form is not very good, and he figures to be outclassed in this one beneath Peltroche.
#4 FULL SCREEN (15-1): Big Screen gelding has earned triple-digit Brisnet Speed ratings in two straight starts since being claimed for $100,000 in June and will have blinkers on for this endeavor. The Ontario-bred loves the distance and can surely be a late factor, in with a chance under Paco Lopez.
#5 PRINCE OF POWER (20-1): Quick son of Runhappy was a close second in a sprint at Ellis Park in advance of this one and will be a pace presence in his second run for Jacobson. The five-year-old gelding has never hit the board in a trio of runs at the distance and will be a shocker with Dylan Davis in the silks.
#6 BULLARD (6-1): Michael McCarthy's charge was a clear runner-up in the Cornhusker (G3) in his latest try and could be in the mix late with a forward move on this occasion. The Grade 3 winner has not won a race since 2024, but he has some speed and could be intriguing while making his first run on the unique oval. Kazushi Kimura comes in for the mount.
#7 DRAGOON GUARD (6-1): Brad Cox pupil was a facile winner in an allowance try at Indiana last time out and has exotics appeal in the feature. The consistent Juddmonte homebred has won or placed in 13 of 15 lifetime tries to date, and the Grade-1 placed gray will be in the hunt late with Manny Franco inheriting the ride.
#8 BANISHING (4-1): Defending champ is the second for trainer David Jacobson and is following the same path to this race as he did last season, coming off of a stakes triumph at Ellis Park most recently. The Ghostzapper gelding can excel from on or off of the early pace, and the multiple Grade 2 star might repeat in the tilt with his best effort under Francisco Arrieta.
#9 BARBADIAN RUNNER (9-2): Top choice in the field has been first or second in at least 10 straight races for trainer Henry Walters. The four-year-old son of Barbados bagged a $500,000 race on this strip last season at seven panels, and he seems poised to pick up his second local tally in this spot with regular rider Forest Boyce in the silks.
#10 SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING (3-1): Two-time winner of the race didn’t fire last year for conditioner Saffie Joseph, but the $5.9 million earner has a ton of class and could win despite drawing widest in the field. The Exaggerator seven-year-old has posted two nice morning drills at Saratoga to prepare for his fourth run in the event and will have Tyler Gaffalione in the stirrups.
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