UPDATE: Oaks, not KYD Take Charge Brandi

UPDATE: Oaks, not KYD Take Charge Brandi Jan 28, 2015 23:21:53 GMT -5

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Post by Evelyn on Jan 28, 2015 23:21:53 GMT -5

No rest for Brandi!

Take Charge Brandi returns in Martha Washington
Brisnet

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner and recently crowned 2014 champion two-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) takes on six rivals while beginning her sophomore campaign on Saturday in the $100,000 Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn Park.

The one-mile contest is a prep for the $150,000 Honeybee S. (G3) on March 7, followed by the $400,000 Fantasy S. (G3) scheduled for April 4, all leading up to the May 1 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Before that, though, Take Charge Brandi will be looking to score her fourth straight victory in the Martha Washington after closing out 2013 on a three-race win streak that began in the Breeders' Cup.

Sent off the 61-1 longest shot in that 12-filly field, Take Charge Brandi wired the Juvenile Fillies for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. She proceeded to take the Delta Downs Princess (G3) and Starlet S. (G1) in similar front-running fashion, and that trio of wins was enough for the chestnut miss to garner an Eclipse Award as 2014's top juvenile filly.

Jon Court will take the reins on Take Charge Brandi for the first time in the Martha Washington, which features only two other fillies with prior stakes experience.

Perfect Fit (Majesticperfection) ran second in the Trapeze S. at Remington Park in her black-type bow on December 14 under Clifton Berry, who retains the mount on Saturday. The Bret Calhoun pupil was eighth in her debut prior to breaking her maiden by 4 3/4 lengths and taking an optional claimer by two lengths, all at Remington.

Sarah Sis (Sharp Humor) is one of three in the field with a 2015 start already under her girth. The dark bay lass was a neck runner-up in the January 15 Dixie Belle S. in her first start since taking an allowance at Keeneland in October by 4 1/4 lengths. Conditioned by Ingrid Mason, Sharp Sis romped by 11 lengths at Arlington last August in her career debut before finishing second in the Arlington-Washington Lassie S. about three weeks later. Julio Felix has the call in the Martha Washington.

Indian Annie (Indian Charlie) and Sweet Corinna (Corinthian) both showed up in an Oaklawn optional claimer on January 17, running one-two. The Steve Asmussen-trained Indian Annie, whose dam is a half-sister to champion Uncle Mo, finished 4 3/4 lengths in front of her rival and keeps Ricado Santana Jr. in the saddle. Sweet Corinna, from Mark Casse's shedrow, will be ridden by Channing Hill for the second straight time.

Allowance heroine High Dollar Woman (Super Saver) and maiden winner Cape Town Stevie (Stephen Got Even) complete the Martha Washington field.

UPDATE: Oaks, not KYD Take Charge Brandi Feb 4, 2015 0:19:19 GMT -5

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Post by Jon on Feb 4, 2015 0:19:19 GMT -5

Lukas: Take Charge Brandi targeting Kentucky Oaks, not Derby
Brisnet

Moments after Take Charge Brandi's (Giant's Causeway) victory in Saturday's Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn Park, owner Willis Horton left the door open for his champion to challenge males in upcoming months.

As expected, the three-year-old filly's Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, quickly closed that door early Sunday morning.

Lukas, who said Take Charge Brandi emerged from her Martha Washington victory in good order, reiterated she's being pointed for the Kentucky Oaks (G1), not the Kentucky Derby (G1), and her next two scheduled starts remain the $150,000 Honeybee S. (G3) on March 7 and $400,000 Fantasy S. (G3) on April 4, both at Oaklawn.

"He's having fun with it, I think," Lukas said of Horton's post-race reference to running Take Charge Brandi in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby. "The plan is still the Honeybee, Fantasy and Oaks."

Take Charge Brandi edged Sarah Sis (Sharp Humor) by a head to win the Martha Washington, the fourth consecutive victory for the Eclipse Award winner.

Ridden for the first time by Jon Court, Take Charge Brandi cruised on a clear, uncontested lead through a modest :48 half-mile before Sarah Sis, on the inside, drew abreast in deep stretch. Take Charge Brandi fought back in the short run to the wire (one-mile races at Oaklawn begin and end at the sixteenth-pole) to record her fourth career stakes victory.

Lukas said the outcome again illustrated Take Charge Brandi's will to win. None of her five career victories have been by more than 2 1/2 lengths. Three of those career victories, including the December 13 Starlet S. (G1) at Los Alamitos, have been by a half-length or less.

"She's very workmanlike," Lukas said. "She knows how to win races. She's cruising along, very relaxed, and then that horse comes to her and she surges back and wins. At Los Alamitos, two or three of them did that to her, and she surged every time they came. Jon, I think, got a little bit complacent and relaxed there, too."

Victor Espinoza rode Take Charge Brandi to her victories in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Starlet, but was unavailable for the Martha Washington because of commitments in Southern California, Lukas said.

Lukas said he "assumes" Court will ride the filly back in the Honeybee because the $1 million Santa Anita H. (G1) is also run March 7, and Espinoza is the regular rider of reigning Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit), an expected starter. There are also three other graded contests on the March 7 program at Santa Anita.

Lukas said Court followed instructions Saturday, notably not to use the whip. The trainer said Take Charge Brandi normally doesn't need the stick because she's so "genuine".

"We told him to just cruise around there, get the money and let's go for the next one," Lukas said.