Take Charge Brandi just holds in Martha Washington

Take Charge Brandi’s (white silks) lackadaisical run in the stretch nearly cost her the Martha Washington (Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography) Willis D. Horton’s Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway) was expected to win her sophomore bow in Saturday’s $100,000 Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn Park, and the D. Wayne Lukas pupil looked well on her way to romping in the one-mile contest before nearly being caught on the wire. The chestnut miss began idling in the stretch under jockey Jon Court after setting splits of :23 3/5, :48, 1:13 2/5 and 1:26 1/5 down the backstretch. That left the way clear for Sarah Sis (Sharp Humor) to put in her bid, and the Ingrid Mason trainee nearly upset the 2-5 favorite. Four wide on both turns, Sarah Sis angled over to the rail and continued motoring in the lane as Take Charge Brandi loped along. Suddenly catching sight of her rival, Take Charge Brandi dug in and just held by a head on the wire to finish up in 1:39 3/5 over the fast dirt. She returned $2.80 to her many backers. Sarah Sis suffered her second straight tough beat, having just missed by a head to the undefeated Promise Me Silver (Silver City) in the Dixie Belle S. last out on January 15. It was eight lengths back to Indian Annie (Indian Charlie) and another 6 1/2 lengths farther behind to Sweet Corinna (Corinthian). High Dollar Woman (Super Saver) and Perfect Fit (Majesticperfection) completed the order of finish after Cape Town Stevie (Stephen Got Even) was withdrawn.

Take Charge Brandi is now 5-1-0 from nine career starts and has racked up
$1,680,126 in lifetime earnings. The chestnut filly was just honored two weeks
ago with an Eclipse Award as the champion two-year-old filly of 2014 despite an
unremarkable start to her career.

After breaking her maiden and finishing second in the Schuylerville S. (G3),
the Kentucky-bred lass went on a three-race, double-digit losing streak. That
didn’t deter Horton or Lukas from entering their filly in the Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile Fillies (G1) on November 1 at Santa Anita Park, and Take Charge Brandi
led all the way home for the half-length victory. Many were wondering if it was
just a fluke result, but the talented miss quickly followed up with wins in the
Delta Downs Princess (G3) and Starlet S. (G1) to close out her two-year-old
campaign.

Now with this season opener added to her list of wins, Take Charge Brandi has
accumulated 40 points toward a starting berth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 1
at Churchill Downs. The Martha Washington and Las Virgenes S. (G1), scheduled
for later on Saturday at Santa Anita, were the final races during the prep
season part of the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” schedule that offered up points
on a 10-4-2-1 basis to the top four.

All indications are that Take Charge Brandi will continue on the Oaks path as
she is expected to point for $150,000 Honeybee S. (G3) back at Oaklawn on March
7, but the year is young and a bid against the boys is still possible.

“Well, you may get to see (her face the boys) in the (April 11) Arkansas Derby
(G1), but
let’s take it one race at a time,” Horton said. “Our big goal is
the Kentucky Oaks. If things work out, we may run in the Arkansas Derby and
possibly the Kentucky Derby (G1) with her because Wayne is good with fillies and he’s
won the Derby with fillies before.”

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