Take Charge Brandi Settling Back in at Oaklawn
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Champion Take Charge Brandi returned to Oaklawn on Tuesday following surgery March 12 at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thursday morning.
Following 60 days of rehabilitation, Lukas said he believes Take Charge Brandi will be ready for the Saratoga meet that opens July 24.
Take Charge Brandi, who won an Eclipse Award as the country’s champion 2-year-old filly of 2014, was scheduled to challenge males in last Saturday’s $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) before being diagnosed with a non-displaced chip in her right knee March 10. A pin was inserted two days later to accelerate healing, Lukas said.
Lukas said the clock has started on Take Charge Brandi’s rehabilitation – 30 days of stall rest and 30 days of hand-walking. Lukas said he’s targeting “May 15” for Take Charge Brandi’s return to training.
“We’ll walk her twice a day in that second 30-day session, and she won’t lose much conditioning,” Lukas said. “She’ll be ready for the opening of Saratoga, for sure.”
In her only start this year, Take Charge Brandi won the $100,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 31.
Talk Derby to Me
The winner of Friday’s second race could punch his ticket to a stakes race, perhaps the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 11. The 1 1/16-mile allowance event for 3-year-olds has lured a field of six, including Poseidon’s Way, a winner of 2 of 3 career starts for trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel.
Von Hemel opted for another allowance test after passing last Saturday’s $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2).
Poseidon’s Way, a son of Stormy Atlantic, won an entry-level allowance race by two lengths at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 19. Still, Von Hemel said the Rebel, which featured champion American Pharoah, was a “little deep” for Poseidon’s Way to make his stakes debut. The colt had finished a troubled sixth in his 2015 debut Jan. 19, also at 1 1/16 miles.
“The first time here, he just had about as bad a go as you can have in a race,” Von Hemel said. “He came back and ran like we thought he could, anyway. That was fun.”
Poseidon’s Way, who won his Nov. 13 career debut sprinting at Remington Park, earned a career-high 77 Beyer Speed Figure for his Feb. 19 victory.
Poseidon’s Way is scheduled to break from post 3 under regular rider Luis Quinonez and carry top weight of 122 pounds.Von Hemel said Poseidon’s Way would be under consideration for races like the Arkansas Derby or the $250,000 Lexington Stakes (G3) April 11 at Keeneland with a victory Friday.
Poseidon’s Way is the 7-2 third choice in the program. Also entered are Holiday Man, Academy Bay, Oak Brook, Instant Replay and 2-1 program favorite Private Prospect. Multiple stakes winner Private Prospect, scratched from a Wednesday starter-allowance race, is coming off a seventh-place finish in the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 22.
Von Hemel said his other top 3-year-old prospect, Hillbilly Royalty, is “pretty set” for the $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes April 11. Hillbilly Royalty won his first two career starts before finishing fifth in the Southwest. The Langfuhr gelding worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.60 just after the track opened Thursday morning.
Finish Lines
Future plans are pending for Grade 2 winner I Spent It, who finished last of six in his 3-year-old debut Wednesday, co-owner Alex Lieblong said. Lieblong said I Spent It, a late Triple Crown nominee, returned with superficial cuts on a back leg, which probably occurred at the start, and tired, but was otherwise fine. … Oaklawn surpassed $4 million in claims at the meet Wednesday, the 35th day of racing. The 280 claims have totaled $4,061,250. … I Got It All was scratched from Saturday’s $250,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) because he doesn’t like an off track, said Tom Swearingen, who trains and co-owns the 4-year-old gelding. … Mr. Z will race without blinkers in the $750,000 Louisiana Derby (G2) March 28 at Fair Grounds, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. Mr. Z has worn blinkers in his last five starts, including third-place finishes in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 19 and the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 22. Mr. Z has worked without blinkers since the Southwest.
Source: Oaklawn Park Barn Notes
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