With stakes action offering over $2 million, Charles Town features its two marquee races of the meet–the GII Charles Town Classic and GII Charles Town Oaks–on Friday night.Returning in defense of his 2025 Classic title, Banishing (Ghostzapper) will follow the same playbook that earned him the victory in the 9-furlong Classic last season. Trained by David Jacobson, the gelding used a nose win in Ellis' 6 1/2-furlong Jeff Hall Memorial in 2025 and he enters the fray off a one-length score over next out victor Dreaminblue (Street Boss) on July 18.Winner of last season's GIII Oaklawn Mile and runner-up in the GI Churchill Downs Stakes last term, the chestnut also won this season's G2 Godolphin Mile on Meydan's Dubai World Cup undercard in March. Aboard for his latest score, Francisco Arrieta gets the return call.The two-time Classic winner, Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), also returns for another go at the $1-million race. An easy winner in both the 2023 and 2024 renewals of the race, the Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee finished an inexplicably poor eighth last year. Victorious in this year's GI Pegasus World Cup and GIII Essex Handicap, the 7-year-old finished a neck back in second in Churchill's GII Alysheba before coming home a well-beaten third, over 29 lengths behind Knightsbridge (Nyquist), in the GIII Monmouth Cup on July 18. Tyler Gaffalione rides.Joseph also holds a strong hand in the Oaks, headed by Tessellate (McKinzie). A stakes winner at two, the Florida-bred filly took this season's Gasparilla Stakes at Tampa in January and later added a score facing state-bred rivals in the seven-furlong Sophomore Fillies Stakes at that venue in March. Runner-up in Laurel's GIII Miss Preakness Stakes over six panels on May 15, the bay was a non-factoring seventh most recently in the GIII Victory Ride Stakes at Saratoga on July 10. Paco Lopez rides the filly for the first time.Additionally, the Florida-based trainer also saddles Tahlequah (Authentic ), who broke her maiden going two turns at Oaklawn on Apr. 30. After fading to a distant sixth behind winner Luv Your Neighbor (Constitution) in her latest start in the GIII Delaware Oaks on June 13, the filly will be fitted with blinkers for the first time in this return.Looking for her second straight win, Luv Your Neighbor has hit the board in five starts in 2026, including a runner-up efforts in the GII Rachel Alexandra and GII Eight Belles at Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs, respectively. She was also third in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks for Michael Stidham.Sure to garner some local support, At a Premium (Great Notion) has won all four lifetime starts–all at Charles Town–including a runaway score in the July 25 Sylvia Bishop Memorial against West Virginia breds. 'Storm' Heads Saratoga's WayaStorm Miami (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) has been knocking on the door in her last few starts and Saturday might be the day it finally opens in the 11-furlong GIII Waya Stakes at Saratoga.Second in the 11-furlong GIII Sheepshead Bay at the Big A on May 1, the Amelia Green trainee crossed the wire a close-up third but was subsequently demoted to fourth in the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware on June 13. Stretching to 12 furlongs for Saratoga's GII Glens Falls on Aug. 2, she was caught late by next out GI Christophe Clement Turf scorer Survie (Ire) and had to settle for second, beaten 1 3/4 lengths.Shug McGaughey will saddle Silvology (Blame), finishing in the top three in five of her last six starts, including a last-out win in an 11-furlong optional claimer at the Spa on July 19.Javier Castellano, riding for McGaughey for the first time at this Saratoga meet, also debuts on the 5-year-old mare.The post Charles Town Takes Center Stage Friday With Classic, Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.