Saratoga Notebook (Friday): Take Charge Lady Shows Speed; Forest Secrets OK; And the Rains Came

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Take Charge Lady gave trainer Kenny McPeek a sweet present on his 40th birthday Friday, a blistering three-furlong breeze on the main track in :34 2/5.

In her first timed work since the middle of May, the multiple stakes-winning filly galloped out the four furlongs under exercise rider Lorna Vanderford in :47.

"She does it easy. She's an unbelievably special filly," McPeek said. "She's fresh right now and I think she does well fresh. I'm pretty excited."

McPeek decided to give Take Charge Lady a break after she won the Dogwood Stakes on May 25 at Churchill Downs. It was her fourth win in five starts this season and seven in 10 career races.

"We did the right thing," McPeek said. "She was a little dehydrated back in the late spring. We did the right thing by giving her time. I think we're going to get rewarded for it."

McPeek hopes to have Take Charge Lady ready for the Gazelle on Sept. 7 at Belmont Park. The long-range goal is the Breeders' Cup Distaff on Oct. 26.

"I have no fear of any of the older mares," he said. "Bring them on. I think we'll be a part of it." McPeek didn't expect Take Charge Lady to crack 35 seconds in her first breeze after the freshening.

"I was surprised she worked that fast," he said. "I know she's done it before and all of this comes real easy for her. I really didn't want her to work that fast."

However, McPeek was pleased with way Take Charge Lady moved under Vanderford.

"You're not even asking her," he said. "She just sits still on her. She's just got gears that we don't know exist."

McPeek said his stakes-winning colt Repent will have the second breeze of his comeback Sunday morning. After Repent turned in a fast work on Sunday, McPeek nominated him to the $1 million Travers on Aug. 24.

"I'm going to contemplate it, give it serious consideration," McPeek said. "He's going awful well and when they're going good you run 'em."

No Grass Racing--Again
The New York Racing Association lost four more turf races Friday -- running the total to six for the meet -- due to rain, overnight and a short, hard storm a half-hour before the first post.

The first and third races were switched from the grass early in the day and were joined by the sixth and seventh races after the downpour.

The rain had subsided before the first race, but a total of 39 horses scratched from the card.

Last year, NYRA lost only eight turf races during the entire 36-day meeting.

Forest Secrets OK
Nearly a week later, trainers John and Donna Ward still have no explanation for Forest Secrets poor showing Sunday in the Grade I Go for Wand.

Under jockey Pat Day, Forest Secrets sat off pacesetter Miss Linda in a ground-saving spot, but never gained on the leaders and was no match for winner Dancethruthedawn, finishing fifth by more than 16 lengths.

"It was like a mile breeze. We were all very disappointed," said Donna Ward, who handles the filly. "We felt she had trained up to it very well and that she could have won it."

Ward said Day told her he felt Forest Secrets took a bad step and didn't want to continue on her for fear of injury. The filly went back to the track this week,
showing no signs of distress.

"We'll see how she works next time, but there was certainly no sign of anything bothering her," Ward said. "Pat said he thought she took a funny step and basically galloped her in, and she still managed to finish fifth and gallop past horses."

The grade I Personal Ensign Aug. 23 remains on the agenda for Forest Secrets, although Donna Ward hinted that Day won't be back. They were also upset with his ride on Snow Dance in the grade II Diana July 27.

"We were all sitting there saying what is going on?" she said. "I guess it's better to err on the conservative side if something had been wrong with her. I can't believe we've had so much bad luck with her, racing luck."

Lukas Wins One
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas saddled his first winner of the meet on Friday, Chimney Slew in the third race. The 2-year-old Seattle Slew colt, who drew into the race following several late scratches, ran down Untold Tale in the stretch for the win.

Chimney Sweep was Lukas' first horse to hit the board at the meet. Later in the program, Magic Storm finished third in the fifth race.

No Jim Dandy For Gygistar
Trainer Mark Hennig did not enter multiple stakes winner Gygistar in the Jim Dandy. Hennig said the gelding was fine and is being pointed toward the seven-furlong King's Bishop on Aug. 24.

Nine horses were entered in the Jim Dandy, the traditional Travers prep: Nothing Flat, Stephentown, Essence of Dubai, Iron Deputy, Peekskill, Medaglia d'Oro, Easyfromthegitgo, Gold Dollar and Quest. Trainer Bobby Frankel also entered Medaglia d'Oro in the Haskell Invitational, but said the colt will stay in Saratoga and run in the Jim Dandy.

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