2025.08.21 Oaklawn Racing Updates

8Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Photo credit: Coady Media

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Multiple Champion Thorpedo Anna, the most accomplished runner during Oaklawn’s last two racing seasons, is the 6-5 program favorite for Saturday’s $500,000 G1-Personal Ensign at Saratoga, one of the seven stakes races and six Grade 1 events on the most highly anticipated race day of the summer calendar.

The Personal Ensign is the ninth race on Saratoga’s 14-race Travers Stakes Day card and goes off at 2:45 p.m. CDT.

Other Oaklawn graduates competing at Saratoga Saturday include Patch Adams, Smoken Wicked and Madaket Road in the $500,000 G1-H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds (Race 10, 3:22 p.m.); Majestic Oops, Claret Beret, Zeitlos and My Mane Squeeze in the seven-furlong $500,000 G1-Ballerina for fillies and mares (Race 11, 3:59 p.m.); and Bishops Bay in the $500,000 G1-Forego (Race 12, 4:36 p.m.).

The 2024 Horse of the Year and Eclipse Award-winning 3-Year-Old Filly, Thorpedo Anna is three-for-three at Oaklawn (all stakes races), highlighted by the $1.25 million G1-Apple Blossom Handicap for older females April 12. After launching her successful 3-year-old campaign with a victory in Oaklawn’s $750,000 G2-Fantasy Stakes in 2024, Thorpedo Anna began her 4-year-old campaign by winning Oaklawn’s G2-Azeri Stakes in March.

After a rare stumble in her next start – she finished last of seven in the $1 million G1-La Troienne Stakes May 2 at Churchill Downs – Thorpedo Anna rebounded with a three-length victory in the $500,000 G2-Fleur de Lis June 28 at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis marked Thorpedo Anna’s 11th victory from 14 lifetime starts and increased her earnings to $5,133,413.

Thorpedo Anna is one of seven horses entered in the Personal Ensign, a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” for the $2 million G1-Breeders’ Cup Distaff Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Thorpedo Anna is scheduled to break from post 7 under regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. and carry equal top weight of 124 pounds.

The Personal Ensign also drew Raging Sea, Randomized and Dorth Vader, 1-3-4, respectively, in the La Troienne. The Fleur de Lis was also a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” for the BC Distaff, which Thorpedo Anna, in her first start against older horses, won in 2024 to cap her championship campaign.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, Thorpedo Anna compiled a 6-1-0 record from seven starts in 2024 and earned $3,653,050. McPeek, Oaklawn’s third-leading trainer in 2024-2025, purchased Thorpedo Anna for just $40,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.

Millionaire Banishing, one of the breakout stars of the most recent Oaklawn season, is the 7-2 third choice in the program for the $1 million G2-Charles Town Classic Friday night at Charles Town in West Virginia.

Co-owned by trainer David Jacobson and Lawrence Roman, the versatile Banishing beat millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Tejano Twist in a December allowance race and won the inaugural $145,000 Byerley Turk Overnight Stakes – the gelding’s stakes debut – by 7 ½ lengths in January. Both races were six furlongs.

He then finished second, beaten a head by Alexander Helios, in the $500,000 G3-Razorback Handicap Feb. 23. The Razorback, which Banishing nearly won in wire-to-wire fashion, was run in a meet-best 1:41.88. Banishing then beat millionaire Grade 1 winner Saudi Crown to win the $500,000 G3-Oaklawn Mile for older horses before finishing second in the $1.25 million G2-Oaklawn Handicap April 19.

Banishing exits a nose victory over Booth in the $150,000 Jeff Hall Memorial Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs July 20 at Ellis Park. Booth won three sprint stakes last season at Oaklawn, including the $500,000 G3-Count Fleet Sprint Handicap.

Banishing is just one of seven Oaklawn-raced horses entered in the Charles Town Classic, which drew a field of eight. Skippylongstocking is the 7-5 program favorite for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who is also scheduled to start G3-Razorback Handicap winner Alexander Helios. Skippylongstocking won the Charles Town Classic in 2023 and 2024 and the Oaklawn Handicap in 2024. Skippylongstocking finished third in the 2025 Oaklawn Handicap.

Other Oaklawn-raced entrants are Awesome Aaron, Komorebino Omoide, Willy D’s and Gould’s Gold. Post time for the Charles Town Classic (Race 11) is 9:25 p.m.

The Charles Town card also includes the $750,000 G2-Charles Town Oaks for 3-year-old fillies (Race 10, 8:44 p.m.) which drew a field of 10 including Oaklawn graduates Indy Bay and Paradise City. Other Oaklawn runners on the Charles Town card include Cool Cowboy and Can Do Andrew in the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial (Race 9, 8:05 p.m.) and Free Like a Girl in the $250,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon (Race 8, 7:32 p.m.).

Finish Lines

Stall applications for Oaklawn’s 2025-2026 meeting are due Sept. 18. The 64-day meeting is scheduled to run Dec. 12-May 2. … Oaklawn-raced Hypnus finished third in the $200,000 Smarty Jones Stakes and Oaklawn raced Bendoog finished third in the $75,000 Mayor’s Mile Stakes Tuesday at Parx. … Oaklawn-raced Express Train is entered in the $250,000 G2-Pat O’Brien Stakes Saturday at Del Mar. … … Oaklawn stakes winner Rose Palace is entered in the $150,000 Ellis Park Turf Stakes Sunday at Ellis Park. … Oaklawn-raced Wildncrazynight is entered in the $125,000 Charles Hesse III Handicap Sunday at Monmouth Park. … Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate Nautical Star is entered in the $75,000 Benny the Bull Handicap Sunday at Gulfstream Park.