Will Take Charge headlines Alysheba Stakes

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Louisville, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Oaklawn Handicap winner Will Take Charge headlines a nine-horse field for Friday's $300,000 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/16-mile race for older thoroughbreds will be run prior to the $1 million Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.

Owned by Willis Horton, Will Take Charge will be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens from post 2 and is the 123 pound highweight.

The 4-year-old chestnut colt, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, won the Oaklawn Handicap on April 12 by three-quarters of a length over Revolutionary as the 2-5 favorite. Will Take Charge began 2014 by finishing second in both the Donn and Santa Anita Handicaps. He comes into Friday's race with seven wins and five seconds in 18 lifetime starts for $3,665,148.

Normandy Invasion will start from post 5 with Javier Castellano in the saddle for trainer Chad Brown and owner Fox Hill Farm.

The 4-year-old colt is coming off a second to Palace Malice in the New Orleans Handicap on March 29 at Fair Grounds. Normandy Invasion, although fourth in last year's Kentucky Derby, is still seeking his first stakes victory. Last year he finished second in the Wood Memorial and was runner-up as a 2-year-old in the Remsen Stakes. The colt has earned $504,390 in eight starts.

Here is the field for the Alysheba in post position order: Moonshine Mullin, Calvin Borel; Will Take Charge, Gary Stevens; Mylute, Rosie Napravnik; Coin Broker, Corey Lanerie; Normandy Invasion, Javier Castellano; Golden Soul, Robby Albarado; Golden Ticket, Joel Rosario; Appealing Tale, Victor Espinoza and Bradester, Jose Lezcano.

Post time for the Alysheba will be approximately 4:52 p.m. ET.