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Lukas: Take Charge Brandi targeting Kentucky Oaks, not Derby

Take Charge Brandi is sticking to filly races for now (Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography) Moments after Take Charge Brandi's (Giant's Causeway) victory in Saturday's Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn Park, owner Willis Horton left the door open for his champion to challenge males in upcoming months. As expected, the three-year-old filly's Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, quickly closed that door early Sunday morning. Lukas, who said Take Charge Brandi emerged from her Martha Washington victory in good order, reiterated she's being pointed for the Kentucky Oaks (G1), not the Kentucky Derby (G1), and her next two scheduled starts remain the $150,000 Honeybee S. (G3) on March 7 and $400,000 Fantasy S. (G3) on April 4, both at Oaklawn. "He's having fun with it, I think," Lukas said of Horton's post-race reference to running Take Charge Brandi in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby. "The plan is still the Honeybee, Fantasy and Oaks." Take Charge Brandi edged Sarah Sis (Sharp Humor) by a head to win the Martha Washington, the fourth consecutive victory for the Eclipse Award winner. Ridden for the first time by Jon Court, Take Charge Brandi cruised on a clear, uncontested lead through a modest :48 half-mile before Sarah Sis, on the inside, drew abreast in deep stretch. Take Charge Brandi fought back in the short run to the wire (one-mile races at Oaklawn begin and end at the sixteenth-pole) to record her fourth career stakes victory.

Lukas said the outcome again illustrated Take Charge Brandi's will to win. None of her five career victories have been by more than 2 1/2 lengths. Three of those career victories, including the December 13 Starlet S. (G1) at Los Alamitos, have been by a half-length or less.

"She's very workmanlike," Lukas said. "She knows how to win races. She's cruising along, very relaxed, and then that horse comes to her and she surges back and wins. At Los Alamitos, two or three of them did that to her, and she surged every time they came. Jon, I think, got a little bit complacent and relaxed there, too."

Victor Espinoza rode Take Charge Brandi to her victories in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Starlet, but was unavailable for the Martha Washington because of commitments in Southern California, Lukas said.

Lukas said he "assumes" Court will ride the filly back in the Honeybee because the $1 million Santa Anita H. (G1) is also run March 7, and Espinoza is the regular rider of reigning Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit), an expected starter. There are also three other graded contests on the March 7 program at Santa Anita.

Lukas said Court followed instructions Saturday, notably not to use the whip. The trainer said Take Charge Brandi normally doesn't need the stick because she's so "genuine".

"We told him to just cruise around there, get the money and let's go for the next one," Lukas said.

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