Frank Carulli: Charles Town Classic Pick 4 Analysis | Friday, August 22, 2025

Charles Town racetrack was boarded shut and put up for sale in 1995, its now 91-year existence in serious jeopardy. But Penn National Gaming came to the rescue and the track has thrived ever since. One need only look at the 13-race card this Friday. The co-featured Charles Town Oaks and Charles Town Classic attracted four of North America’s Top 20 money-earning trainers in 2025 – Saffie Joseph Jr., Mike Maker, Ken McPeek and Phil D’Amato -- not to mention Jeff Runco, the all-time winningest trainer at the West Virginia track. The jockey lineup is equally impressive, with four of the Top 10 money-earning riders this year – Irad Ortiz Jr., Jose Ortiz, Luis Saez and Brian Hernandez Jr. – not to mention Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who ranks No. 2 all-time. The Oaks and Classic, both with Grade 2 status, are part of a 50-cent Late Pick 4 wager that shapes up this way:

CT 10th (9:44 p.m. EST) -- As VODKA WITH A TWIST goes in the $750,000 CT Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, so to will our Pick 4 ticket with her as a solo play. She is Grade 1-placed at 7F, albeit around one turn, not two as she must navigate tonight. She can become the sport’s newest millionaire if she duplicates her Leslie’s Lady Stakes performance at Churchill Downs, when she set a solid pace, braced gamely for the challenge of Kilwin -- who came back to win the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga – and held second with a 94 Beyer speed figure. INDY BAY looks best of four Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained entrants. She improved steadily and capped a three-race winning streak with her first stakes win in the fast-paced Jersey Girl at Monmouth two starts back.

CT 11th race (10:25 p.m. EST) -- Two-time CT Classic champ SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING went wire-to-wire with triple-digit Beyers the only two times he raced around three turns at 1-1/8-miles. But he doesn’t figure to get an uncontested lead in this field while facing six graded stakes winners, so try to beat him at a projected short price. BANISHING is the top choice despite an 0-3 record at the distance. He reeled off five consecutive triple-digit Beyers at various distances, then delivered his best effort in a photo-finish setback in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs. He got beat a neck by Mindframe (5-7, $1.8 million), finished in a dead heat with Nysos (5-6, $598k), who suffered his first loss before bouncing back to win the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar, and finished 2 lengths ahead of Book Em Dano (9-15, $1.8 million), who followed with back-to-back graded sprint victories at Saratoga. AWESOME AARON showed some versatility when he rallied to win the Grade 3 Pimlico Special at 1-3/16 miles. He benefited from a duel between the “embattled leaders” but edged away late from Phileas Fogg, who turned the tables with a wire-to-wire win in the Grade 2 Suburban at Saratoga. AWESOME AARON faded to last but he makes the ticket at an inflated price. ALEXANDER HELIOS is another viable longshot at 12-1 on the morning line. He broke his maiden at this distance, ran down BANISHING to win the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at 1-1/16 miles and ran well off a longer layoff than today to begin his 5-year-old campaign.

CT 12th race (10:55 p.m. EST) -- MOONLIT KISS has six wins and two photo-finish setbacks in her last eight 4-1/2F sprints at Charles Town. She followed the move of winning favorite Mendys Honey (7-10, $230k) and got beat 1/2-length in the Fancy Buckles Stakes. She is a good price in the $40,000 Autumn Stakes. OVERNIGHT POW WOW led at every call in 8 of her last 9 starts to earn odds-on favoritism in her third start as a 4-year-old. MARILYN MOONROE won her last three starts at 4-1/2F with ascending speed figures, the latest on the heels of a blazing :34-3/5 workout.

CT 13th race (11:25 p.m. EST) -- The 10 entrants in the main body of the $75,000 Frank Gall Memorial for West Virginia breds are – get this – a combined 89: 33-19-17 with more than $1 million in earnings at 7F. With room to spare on the ticket, take no chances and hit the ‘ALL’ button.

Suggested 50-Cent Pick 4
CT 10th Race: 7
CT 11th Race: 1, 2, 3
CT 12th Race: 1, 4, 8
CT 13th Race: ALL
Cost: $45

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