When the gates opened, Skippylongstocking and Dash Attack both displayed the best early speed entering the far turn the first time. Local hopeful Muad’dib, dismissed at 15-1 despite arriving on a two-race win streak, was three-wide through the early stages and just off a very moderate pace set by Skippylongstocking who led the way past the opener in 24.82 and by the half-mile mark in 48.88.

While Skippylongstocking was able to open a one-length advantage over Dash Attack midway down the backside, Muad’dib made his presence known briefly as they cruised by three-quarters in 1:14.17 flat. 

But midway on the far turn, Skippylongstocking shook free of Muad’dib, who settled for fourth in a commendable effort. The favorite drew clear in the lane to a five-length score while stopping the timer in 1:51.37 for the one-mile and one-eighth on a wet fast main track. 

O’Connor, also trained by Joseph and ridden by Trevor McCarthy, rallied from well off the pace to finish second, giving the trainer a one-two finish in the $1 million affair.

A four-year-old son of Exaggerator trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr. for owner Daniel Alonso, Skippylongstocking notched his second win from five starts this year and he now owns a 6-2-3 slate and over $1.5 million banked from 19 lifetime outings. His victory in the Charles Town Classic was his first Grade 2 victory to go with three previous Grade 3 wins.

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Now his connections are hopeful that someday he will garner a Grade I score, as several past Charles Town Classic winners have done through the years.

“I thought there was going to be a little more speed in there,” Joseph said. “When he got to the lead in those fractions, I knew he was going to be tough to beat from there. He’s always been a real good horse. We were looking to get one of the big ones this year, and so far this is it for him. I am not sure what he’s got next, but I am hoping that someday he will take down a Grade I.”

“This was so exciting,” said owner Daniel Alonso, who said he has several unraced two-year-olds with Joseph. “I knew when he made the front and I saw 24, 48 and 1:14, I knew they weren’t going by him. He’s always been real good for us. He’s been in a few of the Grade I events, and maybe one day he will get one of them, maybe Belmont or Churchill Downs or even something out west.”

“When he broke I was really expecting to see the two horse [Giant Game] go to the lead,” Gaffalione said. “When I looked over and didn’t see him, I knew that I had to put him on the lead. He was going so easily. There were a couple of horses that came up to press him, but I never really had any concerns. When we turned for home I had so much horse left I knew it was over.”

O’Connor, Joseph’s other entrant in the Classic, finished second at 10-1 from post 10. A Grade I winner in Chile 16 months ago, O’Connor has been second, third and fourth, respectively, in three Grade 3 events in the United States this year and was 11th in the Grade I Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park last January while well beaten by the late Art Collector. 

Muad’dib pressed the pace through the first seven furlongs and faded to fourth in a decent effort for trainer Jeff Runco and owner David Raim. He pushed his earnings over the $800,000 plateau.