Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. entered four fillies in the Grade 2, $750,000 Charles Town Oaks on Friday, and after a prolonged battle, Indy Bay proved herself to be the leader of the quartet in a 1 3/4-length victory.   It was the second straight Charles Town Oaks victory for Joseph and C2 Racing Stable, who became the first owner to win the race multiple times. Indy Bay is also owned by Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch.  Joseph entered nine horses in four stakes races at Charles Town and seemed to pick his spots well. Not only did he win the Charles Town Oaks, but his winner in last year’s Oaks, Mystic Lake, returned to the track Friday night and won the $250,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon. Five of his nine entrants finished in the money.  In what was effectively a three-horse race all the way around the track, Indy Bay benefited from a masterful ride under Irad Ortiz Jr., stalking stablemate Andrea and Vodka With a Twist, the 9-5 favorite trained by Phil D’Amato, in the early going.  :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Breaking from the rail, Ortiz seemed intent on sending Indy Bay to the early lead entering the first turn, but he was foiled by his brother, Jose Ortiz, aboard another Joseph filly. Jose Ortiz and Andrea beat Indy Bay to the front and completed the opening quarter-mile in 23.57.  Instead of scrapping with the early leader, Irad Ortiz and Indy Bay settled just behind and even ceded some ground when Vodka With a Twist made an early move into second under Luis Saez. Andrea completed the half-mile in 47.72, by which point Vodka With a Twist was pressing the pace a half-length behind while Indy Bay firmly tracked in third.  “I broke so good and the other Saffie horse had speed on paper,” Irad Ortiz said. “He went ahead of me, and then I just tracked him and followed him. I followed Luis too on the backside. [At the] the three-eighths pole, maybe earlier than the three-eighths pole, I was able to get clear and start going forward.”  Vodka With a Twist finally launched her bid on the far turn to take a short lead, but she didn’t move by easily, as Andrea dug in on the rail to maintain her inside position for the stretch run.   While those two scrapped for command turning for home, Ortiz eased Indy Bay off the rail for a three-wide move into the stretch. It was immensely effective, even as the filly floated out several paths and had to move back in to engage with the leading pair. She easily advanced past both rivals in midstretch and completed the seven furlongs in 1:25.82, paying $7 to win.  On her way past, Indy Bay bumped Vodka with a Twist who then bumped Andrea, and though no action was taken for any contact, it did seem to bother both inside runners.  When Andrea yielded on the inside, Vodka With a Twist finally managed to take control of second and finished a length ahead for D’Amato. After winning the $225,000 Debutante in June 2024, she has now finished in the money in seven straight stakes starts on dirt without a victory.   None of the closers figured in the final result, as Andrea finished 2 1/4 lengths ahead of her stablemate, Paradise City, for third.  :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.