Game On Dude, Will Take Charge assigned high weights in Clark

Game On Dude, Will Take Charge assigned high weights in

Clark

Game On Dude and Will Take Charge were assigned high weights for next

Friday's 140th running of the $500,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs.

The Bob Baffert-trained Game On Dude, a three-time Grade 1 winner this year,

was assigned 126 pounds by Churchill Downs Racing Secretary Ben Huffman, three

pounds more than the three-year-old Will Take Charge, winner of the Travers and

nose runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Because he's a three-year-old

facing older males, Will Take Charge received a three-pound break in the

weights, according to Huffman.

Baffert said Game On Dude would work over the weekend at Santa Anita. He'll

consider that work and the weight assignments in making a final decision on the

trip to Churchill Downs for the Clark.

"They've weighted him like he's Horse of the Year, so I guess that's a

compliment," Baffert said by telephone. "I'm glad Huffman isn't down on the

horse like everyone else is."

Game On Dude won his first five starts this year and was the Horse of the

Year favorite before a disappointing ninth as the 8-5 choice in the Breeders'

Cup Classic. He remains on the short list of contenders for the Eclipse Award

for top older male.

Baffert said that if all goes well in coming days, Game On Dude would ship to

Kentucky on Wednesday. The Hall of Fame trainer plans to be in attendance on

race day.

Will Take Charge, who would make a strong case for champion three-year-old

honors with a victory in the Grade 1 Clark, was on the Churchill Downs track the

instant it opened at 6 a.m. (EST) on Friday for his final work.

The D. Wayne Lukas-trained son of Unbridled's Song breezed five furlongs in

1:01 over a good racing surface to complete his major training for the Clark.

Regular exercise rider Rudy Quevelos was up for the move, which ranked as

seventh-fastest of 23 at the distance on a misty and cool morning.

A four-time stakes winner this season, including Grade 2 scores in the

Pennsylvania Derby and Rebel Stakes, Will Take Charge recorded fractional splits

of :12 2/5, :24, and :35 2/5 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:16 2/5.

A weather forecast that included rain and tumbling temperatures over the next

three days prompted Lukas to move the work up a day from Saturday to Friday. The

Hall of Fame trainer and four-time Kentucky Derby winner was happy with the

result.

"He just ran," Lukas said. "It's 27 days from the Breeders' Cup to the Clark,

so he really didn't need a lot."

The work made Friday another good day in what the Hall of Fame conditioner

described as a strong week for the improving colt. Will Take Charge finished

fast to just miss in a photo finish against Mucho Macho Man in the Classic at

Santa Anita.

"He's really thriving and it's kind of surprising," Lukas said. "I thought

maybe the Breeders' Cup would set him back and we might have to give him a month

or so to fill up, but that hasn't been the case. I don't know if it's because

he's home here and he's eating better, but he's really had a good three or four

weeks."

With a week remaining before the Clark, the roster of known probable starters

for the race includes (with weights): Golden Ticket (120), Prayer for Relief

(118), Bourbon Courage (117), Easter Gift (116) and Finnegans Wake (116). Jaguar

Paw (115) is considered possible.

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