Take Charge Indy working well at Churchill Downs ahead of the Clark Handicap
Chuck and Maribeth Sandford’s Take Charge Indy is on the worktab ahead of the Grade 1, $400,000 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare set to go underway on 23 November, 2012, at Churchill Downs.
Patrick Byrne trained 3-year-old colt posted his second work, since finishing third behind Nikki’s Sandcastle and Newsdad in the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes over Keeneland’s synthetic surface on 27 October, 2012.
The Fayette Stakes over 1 1/8 miles served as a comeback race for Take Charge Indy, who back in May injured himself in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, and while carrying an injury finished 19th in a field of 20 runners, and made his comeback after 5 months.
"He got so much out of (the Fayette)," trainer Patrick Byrne said. "I bet he's five or six lengths better (now). I was so apprehensive going into the Fayette off a six-month layoff, but I could only train him so much. He nearly pulled it off."
At Churchill Downs, Take Charge Indy turned in a three furlong workout over Churchill Downs’ fast main track, and recorded early fractions of 12 seconds, 24 seconds in a three eighths move of 35 2/5 seconds, while galloping out four furlongs in 47 4/5 seconds.
The A. P. Indy colt, who emerged as a real contender on the Derby trail, got himself into conversation after winning the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park over 1 1/8 miles on 31 March, 2012.
Take Charge Indy off the pace got the better of Reveron in second and another early Derby favourite, Union Rags, in third; while he went on to cover the distance in 1 minute and 48.79 seconds.
Out of Take Charge Lady by Dehere, Take Charge Indy started his sophomore career with a second place finish in a 1 1/16 mile Allowance Optional Claimer also at Gulfstream Park on 29 January, 2012. He finished second to the rampant El Padrino, who covered the distance in 1 minute and 42.68 seconds.
The Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap winner at Churchill Downs, Neck ‘n Neck, another Clark hopeful, worked at Churchill Downs on 18 November, as he breezed five furlongs in 1 minute and 2 4/5 seconds.
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