Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas had planned to take his time with Take
Charge Brandi, but the probable two-year-old filly champion had other ideas.
Lukas said Take Charge Brandi is now pointing for the $100,000 Martha
Washington on January 31 at Oaklawn Park, her first step toward an expected
appearance in the $1 million Kentucky Oaks on May 1 Churchill Downs.
Lukas said late last month that Take Charge Brandi would make her
three-year-old debut in the $150,000 Honeybee on March 7 at Oaklawn, but decided
to accelerate her racing schedule because of her body language.
“I think the mile is a logical choice,” Lukas said, referring to the Martha
Washington distance. “She’s so sharp I can’t hardly do anything with her. She’s
just tearing the barn down, so I might as well run her.”
Take Charge Brandi tuned up for the Martha Washington by working a half-mile
in :51 over a surface rated good Monday morning at Oaklawn.
Owned by Willis Horton, Take Charge Brandi cemented her status as the
country’s leading two-year-old filly with her third straight victory in the
$350,000 Starlet Stakes on December 13 at Los Alamitos. Her streak began with
the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on November 1 and was followed by
the $400,000 Delta Downs Princess on November 22.
In addition to Take Charge Brandi, Lukas’s top male, Mr. Z, worked five
furlongs in 1:01 1/5 Monday in preparation for his three-year-old debut in next
Monday’s $150,000 Smarty Jones.
Lukas said Jon Court will ride Mr. Z, who was narrowly beaten in the $500,000
Los Alamitos Futurity on December 20 and the $1 million Delta Jackpot on
November 22.
Mike Smith rode Mr. Z in the Los Alamitos Futurity, but will ride Far Right
— a troubled third in the Delta Jackpot — in the Smarty Jones, trainer Ron
Moquett said.
The one-mile Smarty Jones closed Sunday with 44 nominations. In addition to
Mr. Z and Far Right, the large field is expected to include Springboard Mile
winner Bayerd, who will be ridden by Ramon Vazquez.
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