Take Control back in training as a 5-year-old for owner Kaleem Shah
Take Control, who has a regal pedigree was expected to do with things in the track, and the son of A. P. Indy, out of mare Azeri, who was named the 2002 Horse of the Year, has been on the sidelines for almost 2 years now battling injuries that have kept
him from racing all that time.
Take Control is 5-year-old now, and he was the first foal for Azeri. The horse has basically run once in his racing career and that too a maiden special weight race back in 2009 over at Santa Anita Park’s synthetic surface over a distance of 1 mile.
Owned by Kaleem Shah, who bought the colt back in 2009 for a staggering 1.9 million, ran that race under the training of veteran trainer Bob Baffert and won his maiden race at first asking on 30 December, 2009, and covered the 1 mile distance in 1 minute
and 37.64 seconds.
Owner Kaleem Shah reported that the Kentucky bred has had two shin operations over a period of two years, and that is why the horse couldn’t make it back to the track for more races.
The good news is that Take Control is back on the work tab for Bob Baffert after his official workout back in September, as the 5-year-old breezed four furlongs in a time of 49 3/5 seconds at Santa Anita Park on 5 April.
“We gave him all the time in the world after the surgery and he’s just been jogging and galloping a lot,” said Shah. “Now he’s ready to get back to serious work again. I got a text from Bob this morning saying he worked very well, so hopefully this time
he’ll make it back and showcase his talents.
“The first time he had surgery it wasn’t done to the extent that it should have been done. This time they put a couple of screws in his shins to tighten them. They drilled a little deeper and were able to make the bone stronger. His mother Azeri was the
same way; her delayed start was because of shin problems.
“We’re confident that he’s going to make it back this time.”
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