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Grade 1 winner Take Charge Indy continued his preparations for Friday's Grade 1, $400,000 Clark Handicap with a three-furlong move in :35 2/5 over the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning. The sophomore son of A.P. Indy recorded opening fractions of :12 and :24 in the three-eighths work and galloped out four furlongs in :47 4/5. "He did it well and (exercise rider) Johnny (Byrne) said he did it in hand," trainer Pat Byrne said. It was the second published workout for Take Charge Indy since he finished third in the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland in his first start since finishing 19th in the Kentucky Derby. |
"He got so much out of (the Fayette)," Byrne said. "I bet he's five or six lengths better (now). I was so apprehensive going into the Fayette off a six-month layoff, but I could only train him so much. He nearly pulled it off."
Also working for Byrne on Sunday was Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club hopeful Positively, who finished second in the Grade 3 Iroquois. A bay son of Distorted Humor, Positively breezed three furlongs in :35, the fastest move of six at the distance, for the 1 1/16-mile contest on Saturday.
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"He went very well, too, and cooled out great," Byrne said. "We're looking forward to having a good Thanksgiving (week)." Another Clark worker on Sunday was Grade 2 victor Neck 'n Neck, who breezed five furlongs in 1:02 4/5 and recorded fractions of :13 3/5, :26 4/5, :38 4/5 and :51 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 4/5 and seven furlongs in 1:29 3/5. Trained by Ian Wilkes, the Flower Alley three-year-old most recently won the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs by 2 1/4 lengths. Probable starters for the Clark are Bourbon Courage, Cease, Eye of the Leopard, Fast Falcon, Lunar Victory, Mission Impazible and Pool Play. |
