Will Take Charge takes training to Churchill

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Louisville, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Champion colt Will Take Charge put in a five-furlong workout earlier this week at Churchill Downs as he trains for the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Sept. 27.

Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, the 4-year-old colt went five furlongs in 1:00.40 Wednesday morning over Churchill's main track for the first time since arriving from Saratoga.

"The work was excellent. It was one of his best on this track; I was really pleased with it," Lukas said.

Will Take Charge, owned by Willis Horton, was held out of the Woodward on Aug. 30 at Saratoga after finishing third four weeks earlier in Saratoga's Whitney.

"I said before he needed a breather; so I stand by my decision and we expect him to come up big in these next two," Lukas said. "He's still right on track for the Jockey Club Gold Cup and everything has been good with him."

The Eclipse Award winning colt has the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on his schedule after the Gold Cup. He was second by a nose in last year's Classic to Mucho Macho Man at Santa Anita, where the race will again be held on Nov. 1. Luis Saez will pilot the colt in the Gold Cup.

Earlier this year, Will Take Charge won the Oaklawn Handicap on April 12 and was sixth at Churchill in the Alysheba Stakes on May 2. The colt opened the season with a pair of second-place finishes in both the Donn and Santa Anita Handicaps.