Willy D's gets his revenge on Banishing in Charles Town Classic
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For the second straight year, the Grade 2, $1 million Charles Town Classic was decided between Willy D’s and Banishing, and after coming up short in 2025, Willy D’s exacted his revenge with a 1 3/4-length gate-to-wire victory on Friday.
Resolute under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., the Michael Maker-trained gelding made the most of his inside track position in the three-turn, 1 1/8-mile race. The early leader saved all the ground into the first turn and held that spot on the rail the entire way. Banishing sat just outside of him and was forced to chase through an opening quarter-mile in 23.94 seconds and half-mile in 47.25.
When the two rivals squared off at Charles Town last year, they both made closing moves from farther back, a trip far more familiar to Banishing, who outkicked Willy D’s by 2 1/4 lengths. In this year’s edition, however, Willy D’s was the one commanding the action out in front.
Banishing has won races on or near the lead in the past for trainer David Jacobson, but he was clearly never in control on Friday. Jockey Francisco Arrieta tried to spur him on for a bid in the stretch, but he never managed to get around the early leader.
The 12-1 outsider Gigante briefly appeared to be rolling around the far turn, but when he flattened out, it became unlikely that anyone was going to challenge the top pair. Willy D’s had little left to do after finally repelling Banishing and edged away under Santana, who also won the $300,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon aboard the Maker-trained filly Foie Gras.
Willy D’s completed the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:50.68 and paid $16.40 to win.
Skippylongstocking, the winner of the Charles Town Classic in 2023 and 2024, made a belated bid from fifth to take third for Saffie Joseph Jr. He finished 1 1/2 lengths behind Banishing and a length ahead of Prince of Power, Jacobson’s 27-1 longshot in the field of 10.
When Willy D’s finished second at Charles Town last year, he was still on the rise, a 4-year-old gelding quickly proving himself against older rivals. Maker claimed him for $50,000 in March 2025, but it only took him four months to burst back into stakes contention.
After an eventful 2025 campaign, the more seasoned 5-year-old made his second start this year in March, switching to synthetic to win the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park. He switched back to dirt and won the $200,000 Lake Ouachita at Oaklawn Park in May before stepping up to finish fifth in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster.
Earlier this week, Maker gave a profoundly simple reason for trying Willy D’s in the Charles Town Classic off a two-month layoff: “Why not?” The $1 million purse swayed many in the field to take the trip, and the trainer noted that his gelding had already displayed an affinity for the track.
The decision might have been driven by some blend of common sense and logistics, but it also gave Willy D’s a profound opportunity to settle an old score and further cement his reputation. He will return to Kentucky a two-time graded stakes winner.
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