Miss Behaviour takes the 2014 running of the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks. Photo by Jeff Brammer.
From a Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races release
September’s Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks is a night featuring great horse racing — but it’s about much more than that.
In partnership with the West Virginia affiliate of Susan G. Komen, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races will present a weekend of activities dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. Between Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19, Hollywood Casino will host Laugh for the Cure featuring comedian Paul Reiser, the 7th annual Race for the Ribbon track walk, an evening of thoroughbred horse racing and a 5K fun run.
“For seven years our employees and the community have embraced Race for the Ribbon wholeheartedly; we look forward to continuing and expanding the tradition this year,” said Al Britton, Charles Town’s General Manager. “We are proud to partner with Susan G. Komen’s West Virginia Affiliate and are honored to help fund services, screenings and treatments for a disease that has touched so many of our lives.”
Kicking off the weekend on Friday, September 18 is comedian Paul Reiser in Laugh for the Cure, an event designed to raise funds through laughter and dedicated to furthering the Komen mission. Best known for his role in the 1990s TV series “Mad About You,” Reiser was honored as one of Comedy Central’s 2004 “100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.” Proceeds from the show and auction items will benefit Komen’s West Virginia Affiliate. Tickets will be available at Ticketmaster.com
Events for the 7th annual Race for the Ribbon on Saturday, September 19 begin at 9 a.m. with the inaugural addition of a 5K fun run that will start and finish at Hollywood Casino. The event is open to runners of all ages with details on registration for the Race for the Ribbon 5K available at: www.imathlete.com/events/racefortheribbon5k
Following the 5K is the weekend’s signature event–the ceremonial walk around the track at noon where each $25 donation for participation in the walk will come with a commemorative t-shirt. Throughout the day, patrons are also invited to check out the pink lemonade stand, silent auction and pink hat contest, which will award cash prizes for “best hats in show.” Beginning at 5pm the evening will include world class thoroughbred racing including the $100,000 Pink Ribbon Stakes.
Saturday’s full schedule is as follows:
- 9:00am – Start of 5K at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races (rain or shine)
- 10:30am – Registration for the Breast Cancer walk around the track
- 12:00pm – Breast cancer walk around the track (weather permitting)
- 5:00pm – Start of silent auction on third floor of Skyline Terrace Ballroom
- 5:00pm – Post time for the 1st race
- 8:00pm – Judging for Pink Hat Contest on the track apron, with $500 prize to the winner
- 9:45pm – $100,000 Pink Ribbon Stakes
- 10:00pm – Silent auction ends
- 10:30pm – $350,000 Charles Town Oaks (G3)
The night of racing will be headlined by the second graded race on Charles Town’s calendar, the $350,000 Charles Town Oaks (G3) for three-year-old fillies.
“Having attracted horses like Groupie Doll, So Many Ways, Book Review, Her Smile and Miss Behaviour, the Charles Town Oaks has been a very productive race in the three-year-old filly sprint division, but we’re also proud of how the day as a whole has developed,” remarked Charles Town’s Vice President of Racing Operations Erich Zimny. “Last year, we had supporting races won by a horse in Pants on Fire who’d finish third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in his next start, two horses who would go on to win West Virginia Breeders’ Classics races and past champions of both the Charles Town Oaks and Sugar Maple in the Pink Ribbon.”
The full stakes lineup at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races on Race for the Ribbon day is comprised of:
- Charles Town Oaks (G3), $350,000, Fillies 3YO, 7 furlongs
- Wild & Wonderful S., $100,000, 3&up, 7 furlongs
- The Pink Ribbon, $100,000, Fillies & Mares 3&up, 7 furlongs
- It’s Only Money S., $50,000, WV-bred 3&up, 4 ½ furlongs
- Rachel’s Turn S., $50,000, WV-bred Fillies 2YO, 4 ½ furlongs
- Henry Mercer Memorial, $50,000, WV-bred 2YO, 4 ½ furlongs
The Race for the Ribbon card is responsible for the three largest non-Charles Town Classic day all-sources handle figures in track history with the 2013 card standing as the only non-Classic one to ever top $2 million in wagering.
The stakes laden card will be televised by HRTV, who will provide in-studio coverage of the event.
