Will Take Charge wins PA Derby and joins top 10

By: SPORTS NETWORK

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Will Take Charge, winner of Saturday's Pennsylvania Derby, enters the NTRA National Thoroughbred Poll in eighth-place for week 30 of the voting.

Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Will Take Charge won his second straight $1 million stakes for 3-year-olds at Parx Racing just four weeks after pulling off the upset in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

"It wasn't exactly like I had written it up," the Hall of Fame trainer said. "Our rider (Luis Saez) rides well, he's smart and he rode well. He saw that hole, he took advantage of it and I'm real proud of him for doing that. Because, I told him to come up the middle of the racetrack, frankly."

Will Take Charge, owned by Willis Horton, received 133 points as he appears in the top 10 for the first time.

Leading thoroughbred Game On Dude picked up 30 first-place votes and 462 points to increase his margin over reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan from four to 21 points.

"He's doing great. His record speaks for itself," trainer Bob Baffert said about "Dude." "There's nothing I can really add to it. He's won six in a row. It's been a great year."

Wise Dan had his top vote total drop from 23 to 18 and his point total fall to 441. The 6-year-old gelding is possible for the Shadwell Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 5.

Champion female Royal Delta is solidly in third with 331 points followed again in fourth by Cross Traffic with 270 points. Both horses will start Saturday at Belmont Park, Royal Delta in the Beldame and Cross Traffic in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

"Royal Delta is doing well," the mare's trainer Bill Mott said. "I would say it seems she's on the same path she was last year (to her second Breeders' Cup Distaff win)."

Princess of Sylmar and Point of Entry exchanged spots in the top 10. Princess of Sylmar, who will also start in the Beldame, has 204 points to Point of Entry's 181.

"She's a serious filly. You can't take her for granted," Mott said about Princess of Sylmar who is trained by Todd Pletcher along with Cross Traffic.

Remaining in seventh is Obviously (135) followed by Will Take Charge, Sahara Sky (71) and Palace Malice (70).