Charge It Retired to Gainesway for 2025

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm homebred Charge It  , a 5-year-old son of Tapit   out of the Indian Charlie winner I'll Take Charge , has been retired from racing and will enter stud at Gainesway Farm for the 2025 breeding season.

Charge It broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park by 8 1/2 lengths in his second career start. He quickly proved he belonged with the best in his class when he followed that performance with a second in the Florida Derby (G1) to future Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner White Abarrio .

Charge It went on at 3 to win the Dwyer Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park by an astounding 23 lengths and earned a career-best 114 Equibase Speed Figure, which is among the four highest ESFs for 3-year-old males going a mile in 2022.

His campaign at 4 was led by another dominant victory, this time at 1 1/4 miles in the Suburban Stakes (G2), where he drew away by 4 3/4 lengths.

"Winning any graded race by 23 lengths, as Charge It did in the Dwyer, takes an immensely talented horse. Charge It's ability was at the grade 1 level," said trainer Todd Pletcher. 

Charge It registered ESFs of 100 or higher in 10 races and retired with four wins and earnings of $887,270.

Charge It hails from one of the most prominent and active families in the stud book. He is bred on the same cross as 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline  , who is also by Tapit out of an Indian Charlie mare. I'll Take Charge is out of multiple grade 1 winner and multiple grade 1 producer Take Charge Lady, who was 2013 Broodmare of the Year. As a yearling, I'll Take Charge was highly regarded and sold for $2.2 million during the 2013 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. 

I'll Take Charge is a half sister to 2013 champion 3-year-old colt Will Take Charge  and grade 1 winners Take Charge Indy   and As Time Goes By . Take Charge Lady also is the second dam of 2014 champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi  and grade 1 winner and current leading second-crop sire Omaha Beach  .

"Charge It is an exceptional-looking horse that possessed brilliance," added Gainesway general manager Brian Graves. "His pedigree is among the very best available to breeders."

Charge It is available for inspection at Gainesway. A stud fee will be announced at a later date.