Saffie Joseph Jr. sent four fillies to the starting gate for the Charles Town Oaks (G2) Aug. 22, and while his runners didn't fill the superfecta, he still fared well as his fillies ran 1-3-4 in the $750,000 event at Hollywood Casino At Charles Town Races, with Indy Bay coming out on top.
Sent off as the 5-2 second choice in the field of 10 sophomore fillies, C2 Racing Stable, Paul Braverman, and Timothy Pinch's Indy Bay broke sharply from the rail slot under Irad Ortiz Jr. and sat just off her pacesetting stablemate Andrea through early fractions of :23.57 and :47.72. Favored Vodka With a Twist pressed the front-runner on the outside, poking her head in front through three-quarters in 1:12.47.
Floating out seven wide at the top of the lane, Indy Bay veered inward and bumped Vodka With a Twist before straightening out and pulling clear by 1 3/4 lengths at the wire. Vodka With a Twist finished second, with Joseph trainees Andrea and Paradise City finishing third and fourth, respectively.
Bred by Frankfort Park Farm, Indy Bay stopped the clock in 1:25.82 for the seven furlongs on the fast dirt track and paid $7 to win. The Take Charge Indy filly notched her fourth victory, and first graded win, in seven starts for career earnings of $675,000.
The Oaks victory was Joseph's second consecutive in the event and second stakes win on the card. Two races earlier, Joseph sent out his 2024 Charles Town Oaks winner, Mystic Lake, to win the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes by three lengths over grade 1 winner Vahva.
