From a Charles Town press release
For a sixth straight year, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is proudly partnering with the West Virginia affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Foundation to present the Race for the Ribbon on Saturday, September 20 to benefit breast cancer research. The Race for the Ribbon along with a showcase of 12 other races will total $850,000 in stakes purses for the day. Proceeds from a special breast cancer walk on the race track and other festive events will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure—WV Affiliate and help to eradicate breast cancer.
On Saturday, September 20, each and every donation made will help fund education, screenings and treatment services across 55 counties in West Virginia. Each $25 donation made by participants of the breast cancer walk around the track will come with a commemorative t-shirt. Additionally, a pink lemonade stand, silent auction, and pink hat contest will be held throughout the day. The patron judged to be wearing the finest pink hat will be awarded a cash prize of $500; second place will receive $250 and third place $100 respectively.
“Breast cancer is a disease that has touched so many of us, our families, our friends and our loved ones and teaming up with Susan G. Komen’s West Virginia affiliate to help fight it is something we’ve come to look forward to every year,” said Al Britton, Charles Town’s General Manager. “The combination of such a worthy cause, exciting events on property throughout the day and a great night of thoroughbred racing has made it an event our employees and community have rallied around.”
The night of racing is headlined by the track’s second ever graded race, the $500,000 Charles Town Oaks (G3) for three-year-old fillies. The Charles Town Oaks stands even with the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga on the list of the richest sprints for three-year-old fillies in the country.
“We’re really looking forward to September 20 when the Charles Town Oaks joins the Charles Town Classic as the only two graded stakes to ever be run here,” remarked Charles Town’s Vice President of Racing Operations Erich Zimny. “Our entire staff has worked hard to build the race to this point and we’re excited to put on a show for our fans that features West Virginia’s first ever graded race for fillies and some of the top horses and jockeys in our sport.”
Last year’s Charles Town Oaks was won by So Many Ways in what turned out to be the Grade 1 winner’s final career start. Previous runnings of the Charles Town Oaks have been won by Grade 1 winner Book Review and Strike the Moon, who defeated multiple Eclipse Award winner Groupie Doll in the 2011 edition. In addition to the marquee race on the card, the $100,000 Pink Ribbon will once again bear the name of the day’s theme and be run as one of the supporting stakes on the program.
