2025.07.17 Oaklawn Racing Updates

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Thursday, July 17, 2025

More than a dozen Oaklawn stakes winners, including Take Charge Milady, are scheduled to run in black-type events across the country in upcoming days. Take Charge Milady is entered in the $500,000 G1-Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles Saturday at Saratoga.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, Take Charge Milady started four times at the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting, breaking her maiden at one mile Jan. 5 and capturing the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 25. The Martha Washington was Oaklawn’s first of three qualifying races for the Kentucky Oaks, the country’s biggest event for 3-year-old fillies.

After finishing 12th in the Kentucky Oaks, Take Charge Milady rebounded to win her last start, upsetting previously unbeaten champion Immersive in the $175,000 Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles June 14 at Churchill Downs. Immersive is the 8-5 program favorite for the CCA Oaks.

Take Charge Milady (9-2) is scheduled to break from post 4 under Kendrick Carmouche. McPeek, Oaklawn’s third-leading trainer in 2024-2025, won last year’s CCA Oaks with eventual Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna. Thorpedo Anna is a three-time Oaklawn stakes winner.

Probable post time for the CCA Oaks, the 10th of 12 races, is 4:38 p.m. CDT.

Five Oaklawn stakes winners (Nash, Banishing, Booth, Kavod and Ryvit) are entered in the $150,000 Jeff Hall Memorial for 3-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs Sunday at Ellis Park.

Booth (three) and Banishing (two) combined for five stakes victories at the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting. Booth’s signature victory came in the $500,000 G3-Count Fleet Sprint Handicap April 12. The versatile Banishing was a stakes winner sprinting and around two turns in the $500,000 G3-Oaklawn Mile March 29.

Nash is also entered in the $400,000 G2-Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap Saturday at Saratoga. The Vanderbilt also drew six-time Oaklawn stakes winner Skelly and Oaklawn-raced Mullikin. Skelly won the Count Fleet in 2023 and 2024.

Kale’s Angel, a two-time stakes winner in 2024-2025 at Oaklawn, is entered in the $100,000 Oceanside for 3-year-olds on the turf Friday at Del Mar.

In other races involving Oaklawn stakes winners, Benedetta is entered in the $200,000 G2-Honorable Miss for older fillies and mares at Sunday at Saratoga; Majestic Oops seeks her fourth consecutive victory in the $500,000 G3-Molly Pitcher on theSaturday at Monmouth Park; Zeitlos is entered in the $175,000 G3-Caress for fillies and mares at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Saturday at Saratoga; and Mischievous Gal and Asternia are entered in the $150,000 Twin Bridges Monday at Ellis Park.

The Honorable Miss also drew Oaklawn-raced Jody’s Pride.

Finish Lines

Oaklawn-raced Wildncrazynight is entered in the $1 million G1-Haskell Stakes Saturday at Monmouth Park. …In other stakes races on the Haskell Day card, Oaklawn-raced Tawny Port is entered in the $600,000 G2-United Nations at 1 3/8 miles on the turf; Oaklawn winner Rabbit Hound is entered in the $400,000 G3-Monmouth Cup, and millionaire Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate Sacred Wish is entered in the $300,000 G3-Matchmaker Stakes.