Will Take Charge tackles 10 rivals in Donn

Last updated: 2/6/14 5:57 PM

Will Take Charge exits a
sterling Clark performance in which he ran down Game On Dude
to win by a head

(Reed Palmer/Churchill Downs Photography)

Will Take Charge, the champion three-year-old male of 2013, will launch his
four-year-old season against 10 challengers in Sunday’s Grade 1, $500,000
Donn Handicap
at Gulfstream Park. A nose second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the D. Wayne
Lukas-trained colt exits an excellent win in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap in late
November.

As the 123-pound highweight, Will Take Charge will spot four to nine pounds
to his rivals in the 59th running of the Donn, which kicks off The Jockey Club
Tour on Fox racing series. The 1 1/8-mile race will be televised from 5-6:30
p.m. (ET) on Fox Sports 1.

A towering son of Unbridled’s Song, Will Take Charge has been training at
Oaklawn Park this winter and received his first gallop over Gulfstream’s track
Thursday morning.

“He had a good month and I think he’s ready to go,” Lukas said. “I was a
little bit concerned about the long ship (from Oaklawn Park), but it seems like
he’s handled it well. He’s training well, he’s more mature and he’s stronger
than he was.

“I think he might be a bit sharper because he’s had this little break. I
think he could lay a little closer. I’m familiar with some of the horses in
here, but we’ll run our race regardless. He handles everything well.”

Will Take Charge will break from from post position 2 with jockey Luis Saez,
who has partnered the chestnut since his breakout performance in the Grade 1
Travers in late August.

In addition to the Travers and Clark, Will Take Charge posted victories in
the Pennsylvania Derby and Rebel Stakes last year, both Grade 2 events, and he’s
bankrolled more than $3 million to date.

Next to Will Take Charge in post 3 will be Revolutionary, who will carry 119
pounds along with jockey Javier Castellano.

Revolutionary posted his
biggest win in the $1 million Louisiana Derby and has captured
four of his last six starts

(Hodges Photography)

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Revolutionary captured the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby
and Grade 3 Withers on his way to finishing third in the Kentucky Derby. The
dark bay colt was freshened up following a fifth in the Belmont Stakes in June
and emerged victorious when returning to action on January 11 at Gulfstream
Park, rallying to a half-length decision in the one-mile optional claiming event
following a tardy beginning.

“I think in this particular at a mile-and-an-eighth, it shouldn’t be a big
issue,” Pletcher said about Revolutionary’s tendency to get away slowly. “If he
doesn’t break well, the track seems to be playing pretty fairly to all kinds of
running styles.

“He got a race under his belt over the track, so we’re optimistic about him
performing well. It’s a tough race, for sure.”

River Seven will put his three-race win streak on the line in the Donn.
Conditioned by Nick Gonzalez, he exits a sharp four-length win over the local
track in the December 22 Harlan’s Holiday. Joe Rocco Jr. retains the mount on
the improving four-year-old gelding. Lea, a two-time graded stakes winner, is
another impressive scorer this meet, taking the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope by a 3
1/4-length margin on January 11. Joel Rosario replaces Saez in the saddle.

Romansh concluded his three-year-old season on a positive note, posting a 9
1/4-length win in the Grade 3 Discovery at Aqueduct November 2, and the dark bay
colt will return to races for Tom Albertrani in the Donn. John Velazquez rides.
Grade 2 hero Bourbon Courage finished second in last year’s Donn and will look
to make amends for a third-place effort as the favorite in the Harlan’s Holiday.
Jose Lezcano has the assignment for Kellyn Gorder.

Other runners include 2012 Canadian Horse of the Year Uncaptured, who exits a
fourth in the Hal’s Hope; and Grade 2 victor and Hal’s Hope third-placer Neck ‘n
Neck.

Joshua’s Comprise, Macho Bull and Viramundo round out the field.

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