2026.09.01 Oaklawn Racing Update

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Contact: Chris Ho Vice President of Marketing

cho@oaklawn.com, 501-623-4411 ext. 4201

Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026

Trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs is now a two-time Forego winner after Oaklawn-raced Hymn captured the $500,000 Grade 1 sprint stake Saturday at Saratoga.

Under eight-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr., Hymn edged T Kraft and favored Oaklawn-raced Senior Officer (dead-heated for second) by three-quarters of a length. The winning time for 7 furlongs over a fast track was 1:22.48.

Santana and Moquett, Oaklawn’s second-leading trainer last season, also teamed to win the 2018 Forego with Whitmore, who went on to capture the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) in 2020 at Keeneland en route to an Eclipse Award as North America’s champion male sprinter. Whitmore (seven) shares the Oaklawn record for career stakes victories.

The 2026 Forego, for 3-year-olds and up, was a “Win and You’re In” for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

Hymn ($11.40) has made seven of his 15 career starts at Oaklawn, winning his Feb. 8, 2025, debut and, in his first start as a gelding, an entry-level allowance April 10. Both races were 6 furlongs.

Hymn followed with an allowance victory May 16 at Churchill Downs and scored his first career stakes victory in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes June 27 at Laurel. Whitmore ran second in the 2017 De Francis.

Hymn also ran fourth behind Zero Sugar, Senior Officer and Faust in a swift March 1 allowance sprint at Oaklawn. The winning time for 6 furlongs was 1:08.76.

Moquett trains Hymn, a 4-year-old son of McKinzie, for his breeder, Naveed Chowhan’s Fleur De Lis Stables, William S. Sparks and Bret Jones.

Hymn, a five-time winner, has career earnings of $763,639. Hymn represented the fourth Forego victory for Santana.

The Charles Town Classic

Oaklawn stakes winners swept the first three places in the $1 million Charles Town Classic (G2) for 3-year-olds and up Friday at Charles Town.

Willy D’s ($16.40) eclipsed $1 million in career earnings with a front-running 1 ¾-length victory under eight-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. Defending champion Banishing finished second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of favored Skippylongstocking, who won the race in 2023 and 2024.

Willy D’s ran 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:50.68.

The Charles Town Classic marked the fourth stakes victory for Willy D’s since trainer Mike Maker claimed the gelding for $50,000 out of a runner-up finish March 23, 2025, at Oaklawn. Willy D’s, later in 2025, won the Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis and was second in the Charles Town Classic (G2) and $150,000 Tinsel Stakes Dec. 20 at Oaklawn.

Willy D’s won the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (G3) March 21 at Turfway Park and the $200,000 Lake Ouachita Stakes May 2 at Oaklawn. The 1 1/16-mile Lake Ouachita was for older horses.

The Charles Town Classic was the fourth career stakes victory for Willy D’s, a 5-year-old son of champion and Oaklawn stakes winner Lookin At Lucky.

Willy D’s has an 8-7-2 record from 29 starts overall and earnings of $1,571,672.

Willy D’s has made 11 career starts at Oaklawn, with the Lake Ouachita his first victory in Hot Springs.

Millionaires Banishing and Skippylongstocking each have two career stakes victories at Oaklawn.

Banishing won the inaugural $145,000 Byerley Turk Overnight at 6 furlongs and the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3). Those races were in 2025.

Skippylongstocking won the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in 2024 and the $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) March 21. Both races were 1 1/8 miles.

Finish Lines

Favored multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Foie Gras ($4.60) won the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at 7 furlongs Friday at Charles Town. … Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate Tahlequah finished third in the Charles Town Oaks (G2) for 3-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs Friday at Charles Town. … Multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Nerazurri finished third in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at 1 1/8 miles Saturday at Saratoga. … Oaklawn-raced Beauty Reigns finished third in the Ballerina Stakes (G1) for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at 7 furlongs Saturday at Saratoga. … Oaklawn-raced Blackout Time finished third in the $250,000 St. Louis Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Fairmount Park.