Take Charge Brandi returns in Martha Washington

Take Charge Brandi closed out her championship juvenile season with a win in the Starlet (Benoit Photos) 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.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com