WinStar Farm has acquired the breeding rights to Florida Derby (G1) winner Take Charge Indy, and will stand the regally-bred colt at the Versailles-based farm following his racing career.
Take Charge Indy, a 3-year-old son of A.P. Indy out of brilliant multiple Grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady, recently resumed training with Pat Byrne for a second-half of the year campaign.
“When I looked at him I saw A.P. Indy, who is obviously one of the greatest sires of sires in the industry today,” said Elliott Walden, WinStar President & CEO. “Stallion credentials don’t get much stronger than being a Grade 1 winner, by a multiple Grade 1 winner like A.P. Indy, and out of a multiple Grade 1 winner. We’re excited about Take Charge Indy’s chances of successfully carrying out the A.P. Indy line at stud.”
A striking dark bay, Take Charge Indy has scored his biggest win to date in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) earlier this year at Gulfstream, where he flashed his brilliant speed to defeat the likes of Union Rags and other top 3-year-olds. He entered the Kentucky Derby (G1) as one of the leading contenders before sustaining an ankle injury that required minor surgery and about 90 days of rest.
Take Charge Indy was also a leading 2-year-old in the Midwest. After impressively winning his debut by 6 ½ lengths at Arlington, he was runner-up in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3) and a close fourth in Keeneland’s Breeders Futurity (G1) – both on Polytrack. Take Charge Indy closed out the year by running a troubled fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in his first start on dirt.
“Take Charge Indy is by far the best horse I’ve ever trained when you combine depth of pedigree and magnitude of talent,” said Byrne, who has also trained champions Favorite Trick and Awesome Again. “At the end of the day, I believe he will be the best horse I’ve ever had, period.
“He looks absolutely fantastic right now, and we’re thrilled to have him back at the barn,” he added. “Physically, he has filled out in all the right spots, and even Calvin (Borel) was amazed when he saw him. We’re optimistic Take Charge Indy will have a strong end of the year.”
Campaigned by owners Chuck and Maribeth Sandford, Take Charge Indy currently has earnings of $721,000 on the track. His dam Take Charge Lady, by leading broodmare sire Dehere, was one of the top racemares in the country in 2002-03. She was an eight-time graded stakes winner—three Grade 1 wins—and earner of nearly $2.5 million.
