Will Take Charge Has Flashy Churchill Breeze
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Willis D. Horton's reigning 3-year-old champion Will Take Charge has returned to Churchill Downs after spending the summer at Saratoga Race Course, and his Hall of Fame conditioner D. Wayne Lukas was very pleased with his latest work.
Will Take Charge breezed five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 Sept. 10 under the Twin Spires, fastest of 21 other workers at the distance.
"The work was excellent," Lukas said. "It was one of his best on this track; I was really pleased with it."
Lukas opted to skip the Aug. 30 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga with the 4-year-old son of Unbridled's Song, and is pointing to the Sept. 27 Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) at Belmont Park for his next start.
The Gold Cup is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race for the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). Will Take Charge missed the 2013 Classic by a nose to Mucho Macho Man .
"I said before he needed a breather; so I stand by my decision and we expect him to come up big in these next two," Lukas said. "He's still right on track for the Jockey Club Gold Cup and everything has been good with him."
Will Take Charge's most recent race was a third-place effort in the Whitney Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 2, where he was ridden by jockey Luis Saez. While Saez has been on Will Take Charge for four of his six starts this year, Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens rode him in the other two.
Lukas confirmed Friday morning that Saez is expected to have the mount for the Jockey Club Gold Cup.