Champion Will Take Charge Tops Strong Alysheba; On Fire Baby Heads La Troienne on Rich Oaks Undercard

Apr 30, 2014 Gary Yunt

Willis Horton’s Will Take Charge, winner of the Clark Handicap (Grade I) here last fall and the Oaklawn Handicap (GII) in his most recent start, heads a field of nine for Friday’s  11th running of the $300,000-added Alysheba Presented by Besilu Stables (GII) at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Will Take Charge, who finished eighth in last year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), will be facing three rivals in the Alysheba that finished ahead of him in Derby 139 in runner-up Golden Soul, fourth-place finisher Normandy Invasion and fifth-place finisher Mylute.

The Alysheba, named for the 1987 Kentucky Derby winner, and the 29th running of the $300,000-added La Troienne (GI) highlight the undercard on the 12-race Longines Kentucky Oaks program that features six stakes. The La Troienne will feature a field of six fillies and mares in the 1 1/16 miles test.

Other stakes on the 12-race program that begins at 10:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) card are the  59th running of the $175,000-added Eight Belles (GIII) at seven furlongs on the main track; the 20th running of the $150,000-added Twin Spires Turf Sprint (GIII) for 4-year-olds and up going five furlongs on the Matt Winn Turf Course, and the 29th running of the $150,000-added Edgewood Presented by Forcht Bank at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Will Take Charge failed to make a dent on the Triple Crown trail in 2013. However, he has posted four victories and four runner-up finishes in his past eight starts that include victories in the Travers (GI), Clark Handicap (GI) and the Oaklawn Handicap (GII) in his most recent start.

Gary Stevens has the mount Friday and will break from post position two.

The other runners from Kentucky Derby 139 will be making their first starts at Churchill Downs since last year’s Run for the Roses.

Charles Fipke’s Golden Soul, trained by Dallas Stewart, will break from post position six under Robby Albarado.

Fox Hill Farms’ Normandy Invasion comes into the Alysheba off a runner-up effort in the New Orleans Handicap (GII). Trained by Chad Brown, Normandy Invasion will break from post position five and be ridden by Javier Castellano.

Gold Mark Farm and Whisper Hill Farm’s Mylute, who finished third in the Preakness (GI), is trained by Tom Amoss and will be ridden by Rosie Napravnik. Mylute, who won his 2014 debut, will break from post position three.

The field for the Alysheba that goes as the 10th race with a 4:52 p.m. post time, from the rail out, is as follows: Moonshine Mullin (Calvin Borel, 118 pounds), Will Take Charge (Stevens, 123), Mylute (Napravnik, 118), Coin Broker (Corey Lanerie, 118), Normandy Invasion (Castellano, 118), Golden Soul (Albarado, 118), Golden Ticket (Joel Rosario, 118), Appealing Tale (Victor Espinoza, 118) and Bradester (Jose Lezcano, 120).

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 Anita Cauley’s On Fire Baby, who finished second in this race a year ago, will take on five fillies and mares in the 29th running of the $300,000-added La Troienne (GI).

Trained by Gary Hartlage and ridden by Joe Johnson, On Fire Baby won the 2013 Apple Blossom (GI) and also has two stakes victories here in 2011 Golden Rod (GII) and Pocahontas (GII). On Fire Baby will break from post position six.

Chief among the rivals for On Fire Baby is Repole Stable’s Unlimited Budget.

Third in the Kentucky Oaks (GI) last year and sixth against the colts in the Belmont Stakes (GI), Unlimited Budget is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by John Velazquez. Second in the Rampart (GIII) in her most recent start, Unlimited Budget will break from post position three.

The field for the La Troienne that will go as the fifth race with a 12:43 p.m. post time, from the rail out, is as follows: Molly Morgan (Corey Lanerie, 118 pounds), Liberated (Stewart Elliott, 118), Unlimited Budget (Velazquez, 118), Magic Union (Jose Lezcano, 118), Devil’s Cave (Javier Castellano, 120) and On Fire Baby (Johnson, 118).

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 Mark Dedomenico, Allen Aldrich, Lisa Hernandez, Stuart Downey and Philip Lebherz’s She’s a Tiger, the 2013 Eclipse Award winner as champion 2-year-old filly in North America,will make her 2014 debut when she faces nine foes in the 59th running of the $175,000-added Eight Belles (GIII) at seven furlongs on the main track.

Trained by Jeff Bonde, She’s a Tiger has compiled a record of 6-3-3-0 and was disqualified from first in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) in her most recent start. A victory in the Grade I Del Mar Debutante also is on her resume.

Gary Stevens has the mount on She’s a Tiger, who will break from post position 10.

The main rival to She’s a Tiger appear to be Repole Stable’s Our Amazing Rose.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Our Amazing Rose is undefeated in two starts, both of which she was the 2-5 favorite. John Velazquez will have the mount and break from post position four.           

The field for the Eight Belles that goes as the eighth race with a 3:02 p.m. post time, from the inside out, is: Whomping Willow (Corey Lanerie), Lady Paradime (Rajiv Maragh), Designer Legs (Shaun Bridgmohan), Our Amazing Rose (Velazquez), Jojo Warrior (Rosie Napravnik), Cash Control (James Graham), Fiftyshadesofgold (Mike Smith), Mufajaah (Joe Johnson), Milam (Jose Lezcano) and She’s a Tiger (Stevens). All starters will carry 118 pounds.

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 Martin Racing Stable’s Marchman and Team Forster 131’s Positive Side, the 1-2 finishers in the Shakertown (GIII) at Keeneland on April 12, head a field of nine runners for the 20th running of the $150,000-added Twin Spires Turf Sprint (GIII) at five furlongs.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, Marchman broke his maiden going five furlongs in his lone appearance on the Matt Winn Turf Course. Winner of the Woodchopper last fall at Fair Grounds, Marchman will break from post position four and be ridden by Robby Albarado.

Positive Side, trained by Grant Forster, finished second in the Colonel Power in his turf sprint debut that came before the Shakertown. Leandro Goncalves retains the mount on Positive Side and will break from post position six.

Also in the field is Silverton Hill’s Havelock, a five-time graded-stakes winner, and Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence’s Sum of the Parts, two-time winner of the Phoenix (GIII) at Keeneland and a three-time Breeders’ Cup participant.

Trained by Darrin Miller, Havelock will be ridden by Javier Castellano and break from post position nine with Sum of the Parts, trained by Tom Amoss and ridden by Rosie Napravnik, breaking from post position eight.

The field for the Twin Spires Turf Sprint that goes as the sixth race with a 1:26 p.m. post time, from the hedge, is: Ancil (Julien Leparoux, 120 pounds), Undrafted (John Velazquez, 118), Stormofthecentury (Stewart Elliott, 118), Marchman (Albarado, 120), Scatman (Jose Lezcano, 118), Positive Side (Goncalves, 118), Googleado (ARG) (Calvin Borel, 118), Sum of the Parts (Napravnik, 120) and Havelock (Castellano, 118).

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 Starlight Racing’s two-time stakes winner Candy Kitty and Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Granny Mc’s Kitten head an evenly matched field of 10 3-year-old fillies that will go postward in the 29th running of the $150,000-added Edgewood Presented by Forcht Bank.

Candy Kitty captured two stakes during the winter meet at Gulfstream Park and finished second in the Herecomesthebride Stakes (GII). Trained by Todd Pletcher, Candy Kitty will break from post position four and be ridden by John Velazquez.

Trained by Chad Brown, Granny Mc’s Kitten won the P.G. Johnson at Saratoga last summer in her second career start. Joel Rosario has the call on Granny Mc’s Kitten and break from post position three.

The field for the Edgewood that goes as the ninth race with a 4:02 p.m. post time, from the hedge out, is as follows: Miss Machiavelli (Kent Desormeaux, 118 pounds), Courageous Julie (Rosie Napravnik, 118, Granny Mc’s Kitten (Rosario, 118), Candy Kitty (Velazquez, 120), Little Journey (FR) (Jose Lezcano, 118), A Little Bit Sassy (Luis Saez, 118), Istanford (Javier Castellano, 118), V V Goodnight (Alan Garcia, 118), Fonepheresh (IRE) (Joe Rocco Jr., 118) and Resistivity (Julien Leparoux, 118).