Will takes charge in Smarty Jones

Two days after saddling Oxbow to a victory in the Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair

Grounds, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas made it a sweep of the holiday

weekend's major classic preps when the regally-bred Will Take Charge gutted out

a photo-finish victory in Monday's $150,000

Smarty

Jones at Oaklawn Park.

Ridden by Jon Court, who was also aboard Oxbow, Will Take Charge was hung six

wide heading into the clubhouse turn and remained well off the rail down the

backside but in a comfortable stalking position. Up front, California shipper

Avare held a half-length advantage through splits of :23 and :46 3/5, with Texas

Bling taking up the pursuit in second.

A 128-1 upset winner of the December 9 Springboard Mile at Remington Park,

where he beat the pacesetting Will Take Charge by 1 3/4 lengths, Texas Bling

this time found himself the hunted after assuming the lead from a weakening

Avare around the far turn. Will Take Charge began his three wide bid for the

lead at this time and there was little separating the rivals for the final three

furlongs.

In the short stretch, Will Take Charge poked his head in front with an eighth

remaining, but appeared to yield very briefly to Texas Bling shortly afterwards.

Will Take Charge found one more burst and it proved to be a winning one as he

edged Texas Bling by a neck, completing one mile on a fast track in 1:38 3/5. A

12-1 shot, Will Take Charge paid $26.20, $14.60 and $7.

Also entering the photo finish frame late was 9-5 favorite Always in a Tiz,

who saved ground throughout, moved outside for running room turning for home and

produced a solid stretch kick to just miss the runner-up spot by a nose to Texas

Bling, who again was unheralded on the tote board at 18-1.

The remainder of the field was mostly spread out, with the order of finish

completed by Stormy Holiday, Brown Almighty, Officer Alex, Avare, Best of

Birdstone and King Henny.

Owned by Willis Horton, Will Take Charge broke slowly in his August 16 debut

at Saratoga going 5 1/2 furlongs, but a made a mild rally to be fifth. A

last-to-first winner of an October 18 maiden at Keeneland over seven Polytrack

furlongs in his next start, Will Take Charge showed little when tackling stakes

company for the first time in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club on November 24,

trailing the field of 13 by more than 25 lengths. He rebounded with the

aforementioned second to Texas Bling in the Springboard Mile. The son of

Unbridled's Song has now earned $204,000 from a line of 6-3-2-0.

Bred by Eaton in Kentucky, Will Take Charge was a $425,000 Keeneland

September yearling. He is the second stakes winner produced by the $2.4

million-earner Take Charge Lady, a Dehere mare that won nine stakes, including

two wins in the Grade 1 Spinster as well as the Grade 1 Ashland. Her many

placings at the top level included a narrow loss to Hall of Famer Azeri in the

2003 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn.

Take Charge Lady's first stakes winner was Take Charge Indy, a son of A.P.

Indy, who captured the Grade 1 Florida Derby last year and is presently a

candidate for next month's Grade 1 Donn Handicap for trainer Pat Byrne.

Take Charge Lady is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed stakes winners

Commendation and Eventail. The latter is the dam of Grade 2 victor Straight

Story. Also hailing from this family is prominent turf sprinter and Breeders'

Cup winner Chamberlain Bridge.

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