Willis Horton's Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) will look to cement a juvenile fillies' championship title in the Dec. 13 GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Race Course, trainer D. Wayne Lukas confirmed Friday. A J “TDN Rising Star”J, Take Charge Brandi won the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at 61-1 and returned to take the Nov. 22 GIII Delta Downs Princess S. last Saturday. Without a clear-cut leader in the division, Lukas thinks a third straight victory could secure an Eclipse Award for the well-bred chestnut filly.
“I want to take the doubt out of the vote,” Lukas said. “Let's make it easy.” Lukas added, “We've been so blessed with that family, and my theory has always been, 'If they get good, run 'em and don't put them in a stall. I really thought she was coming up to the Delta Downs race as well as the Breeders' Cup, so to get two like that was good. I think she's going to run huge the next time. I'm not afraid to lead them over there.”
Lukas is also shipping Zayat Stables's Mr. Z (Malibu Moon) to Los Alamitos. Second, beaten a nose by Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense), in the Nov. 22 GIII Delta Downs Jackpot S., the chestnut colt is expected to go postward in the Dec. 20 GI Los Alamitos Futurity.
“He's a hard-knocker,” Lukas said from his Churchill base. “I want to be here in May [in the Kentucky Derby] with him.”
Fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Mr. Z also owns runner-up finishes in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, GII Toyota Saratoga Special and GIII Sanford S.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
