Take Charge Brandi: On the Derby Trail? - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

Lemon Drop Husker · 02-25-2015, 10:22 PM

Sounds like owner Willis Horton is pointing his young filly champion towards the Rebel Stakes in which she would face 2 year old male champion American Pharaoh.

Horton also has plans to run her in the Arkansas Derby, and then the Kentucky Derby.

With her already bagged 40 points for the Kentucky Oaks, she is a shoe-in for that race regardless of how she does against the males.

Does she stand a fighting chance?

RacingFan1992 · 02-25-2015, 11:38 PM

I think they should take it one step at a time. I know Mr. Horton seems is firing on all cylinders when it comes to this filly. I would hate to see her end up like Dreaming of Julia who everyone thought would do what Rachel Alexandra did in the Oaks but she flopped. Would I love to see a filly run in and win the Kentucky Derby? Sure. Cross that off my bucket list. I want to see more of her and what she can do against the colts before I make my choice.

SandyW · 02-26-2015, 02:20 AM

If there is any trainer that can get her ready to run and win the Kentucky Derby, it is D. Wayne Lukas.
I have learned to never underestimate D. Wayne Lukas with any horse in any big race.

RacingFan1992 · 02-26-2015, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SandyW

If there is any trainer that can get her ready to run and win the Kentucky Derby, it is D. Wayne Lukas.
I have learned to never underestimate D. Wayne Lukas with any horse in any big race.

I know these are incomparable horses but look at what he did with Winning Colors and Lady's Secret. I know she has a long way to become a legend but I know she has potential. I'm waiting for old Shug McGaughey to come up from the shadows and blow him out of the water. Lukas might be good at training fillies but in my opinion I think Shug is better. Personal preference, they are both top trainers.

classhandicapper · 02-26-2015, 09:45 AM

If Take Charge Brandi wins the Derby, I'll have to assume I don't know anything about horses and quit.

RacingFan1992 · 02-26-2015, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

If Take Charge Brandi wins the Derby, I'll have to assume I don't know anything about horses and quit.

Holding you to it.

davew · 02-26-2015, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

If Take Charge Brandi wins the Derby, I'll have to assume I don't know anything about horses and quit.

Just don't let her get on an easy lead...

ronsmac · 02-26-2015, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RacingFan1992

I know these are incomparable horses but look at what he did with Winning Colors and Lady's Secret. I know she has a long way to become a legend but I know she has potential. I'm waiting for old Shug McGaughey to come up from the shadows and blow him out of the water. Lukas might be good at training fillies but in my opinion I think Shug is better. Personal preference, they are both top trainers.

Good point, but Winning Colors two races before the Kentucky Derby were absolutely huge. She was lengths better than Take Charge Brandi.

RacingFan1992 · 02-26-2015, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronsmac

Good point, but Winning Colors two races before the Kentucky Derby were absolutely huge. She was lengths better than Take Charge Brandi.

Not to sound sexist but she was "a bitch on the lead" same as Ruffian as well as Lady's Secret. They went to the lead and never let go in some of their best races.

maclr11 · 02-27-2015, 10:31 AM

I'd use Lady's Secret and Winning Colors as bitches on the lead examples.

Ruffian was a superior horse in every one of her races, but she never did beat the boys (we can argue till were blue in the face whether she was going to beat foolish pleasure).

It would have been great to see her later that year try to hold off Forego at the 1/8th pole.

RacingFan1992 · 02-27-2015, 11:22 AM

Frank Whitley said that was one of the things he would have loved to have seen. Ruffian and Forego duking it out. Thats a tough call. I can just hear the call of Dave Johnson at Belmont Park saying "It's Ruffian in front going easily but here comes Forego gaining ground on the far outside". Ah, what could have been. True Legends. Frank, Forego, and Ruffian.

Cratos · 02-27-2015, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RacingFan1992

I know these are incomparable horses but look at what he did with Winning Colors and Lady's Secret. I know she has a long way to become a legend but I know she has potential. I'm waiting for old Shug McGaughey to come up from the shadows and blow him out of the water. Lukas might be good at training fillies but in my opinion I think Shug is better. Personal preference, they are both top trainers.

Shug is very good if not excellent, but D. Wayne is the gambler and he is tough to beat in an "alley fight."

Cratos · 02-27-2015, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RacingFan1992

Frank Whitley said that was one of the things he would have loved to have seen. Ruffian and Forego duking it out. Thats a tough call. I can just hear the call of Dave Johnson at Belmont Park saying "It's Ruffian in front going easily but here comes Forego gaining ground on the far outside". Ah, what could have been. True Legends. Frank, Forego, and Ruffian.

Forego was a "freak" and when Whitely took over Sherrill Ward as his trainer and with Shoemaker aboard replacing Gustines it was a "marriage" made in horseracing heaven.

Would Forego beaten Ruffian?

Yes I believe so because how he ran down the speedy Honest Pleasure and the speed he showed when put on the pace against Wajima.

RacingFan1992 · 02-28-2015, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cratos

Shug is very good if not excellent, but D. Wayne is the gambler and he is tough to beat in an "alley fight."

One of my favorite clips is that of Storm Flag Flying taking the lead and then Composure rushed past her. The look on Bafferts face when he thought he had it all wrapped up then SFF dug in for the dawg fight and won driving. That would have made her mother and grandmother proud. Its was either Lukas or Baffert who got beat by Shug in all three of the BC races in 88, 95, and 02. Gotta love Shug.

letswastemoney · 03-02-2015, 03:04 AM

I think it's a good idea to run in the Rebel.

Here's my opinion article

https://www.ladyandthetrack.com/news/11551/take-charge-brandi-rebel-stakes.html

Take out American Pharoah, and her numbers will probably be about as good as the rest of the field. To compare her to one Derby contender, on TimeformUS her numbers are roughly the same as Far Right.

So no, maybe she's not Rachel Alexandra or Winning Colors, but except American Pharoah, the expected Rebel field probably won't be great anyway.

As for the Derby, well if she earns the points she belongs.