2026.07.16 Oaklawn Racing Update

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Contact: Chris Ho Vice President of Marketing

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

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Skippylongstocking returns to action in the $350,000 G3-Monmouth Cup Stakes on the Haskell Stakes Day undercard Saturday at Monmouth Park.

Among the nation’s leading older runners, Skippylongstocking headlines four Oaklawn-raced horses entered in the nine-furlong Monmouth Cup. Probable post time for the Monmouth Cup, the fourth of 14 races, is 12:22 p.m. CDT.

Skippylongstocking owns 12 career stakes victories, including the $1.25 million G2-Oaklawn Handicap in 2024 and the $500,000 G3-Essex Handicap March 21. Both races were 1 1/8 miles. Skippylongstocking hasn’t started since finishing second in the G2-Alysheba Stakes May 1 at Churchill Downs for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

Tyler Gaffalione has the return call on Skippylongstocking, who is scheduled to break from post 5 under equal top weight of 124 pounds.

Five other horses are entered in Monmouth Cup, including Oaklawn stakes winner Alexander Helios and Kinetic and two-time Oaklawn winner Money Game, who is unbeaten in four lifetime starts for trainer Brad Cox.

Alexander Helios, another Joseph trainee, ran the fastest 1 1/16 miles of the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting (1:41.88) when he edged Banishing by a head to win the $500,000 G3-Razorback Handicap. Kinetic, then with Cox, won the inaugural $145,000 General MacArthur Overnight Stakes in 2025 at Oaklawn.

Money Game, who will be making his stakes debut, broke his maiden and captured an allowance race in 2025 at Oaklawn.

The Monmouth Cup is the first of seven stakes races Saturday at Monmouth.

Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate Baby Vino is entered in the $1 million G1-Haskell (Race 12, 4:45 p.m.) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles; multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Nerazurri and Oaklawn-raced Alpine Princess are entered in the $500,000 G2-Molly Pitcher (Race 6, 1:24 p.m.) for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles; and Oaklawn-raced Five G is entered in the $300,000 G3-Matchmaker (Race 7, 1:56 p.m.) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

The Haskell is a “Win and You’re In” for the $7 million G1-Breeders’ Cup Classic Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

Four Oaklawn stakes winners are entered in the $175,000 Jeff Hall Memorial Stakes Saturday at Ellis Park, including defending champion and 5-2 program favorite Banishing. The Jeff Hall Memorial is for 3-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs.

Millionaire multiple Grade 2 winner Banishing edged millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Booth by a nose in last year’s Jeff Hall Memorial for co-owner/trainer David Jacobson. Banishing hasn’t started since being pulled up in the G1-Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Banishing is a two-time stakes winner at Oaklawn, taking the inaugural $145,000 Byerley Turk Overnight at six furlongs and the $500,000 G3-Oaklawn Mile. Both races were in 2025. Two-time Oaklawn riding champion Francisco Arrieta is named to ride Banishing from post 4.

Other Oaklawn stakes winners entered in the Jeff Hall Memorial are Dreaminblue trainer Randy Morse, Speed King for trainer Ron Moquett and Bourbon Bash for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Dreaminblue ($135,000 Silks Overnight) and Bourbon Bash ($135,000 Commodore Overnight) were stakes winners at the 2025-2026 Oaklawn meeting. Speed King won the $1 million G3-Southwest Stakes at the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting.

The Jeff Hall Memorial also drew Oaklawn allowance winners Echo Again, Track Mate and Zero Sugar.

Finish Lines

Oaklawn-raced Lets Shakeit Sugar is the even-money program favorite for the $70,000 Iowa Stallion Filly Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile and 70 yards Friday at Prairie Meadows. … Oaklawn-raced G1-Preakness Stakes winner Journalism and Full Serrano are entered in the $300,000 G2-San Diego Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Del Mar. … Oaklawn maiden special graduate Our Magical Moon is entered in the $100,000 Lil E. Tee Stakes for 3-year-old Pennsylvania-breds at 1 mile and 70 yards Saturday at Parx. … Oaklawn-raced Amalfi Drive, multiple Oaklawn winner Pink Ruby and Oaklawn allowance winner Miss Authentic are entered in the one-mile $100,000 Maggie L. Walker Stakes for fillies and mares Saturday at Colonial Downs. … Oaklawn allowance race winner Stradale and Oaklawn-raced Ewing are entered in the $225,000 Quick Call Stakes for 3-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Sunday at Saratoga. … Oaklawn stakes winners Asternia, Benedetta and Jersey Pearl, Oaklawn allowance winners Evanescence and Pistol and Oaklawn-raced Tapit Quick are entered in the six-furlong $175,000 Twin Bridges Stakes for fillies and mares Sunday at Ellis Park.