A new sale-topper appeared on the second night of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale Aug. 5 when a filly by War Front out of Charming, a daughter of multiple grade I winner and stakes producer Take Charge Lady, sold for $1.25 million to Willis Horton.
The big bay filly was sold by Eaton Sales as agent.
The ticket was signed by trainer D. Wayne Lukas on behalf of Horton, who owns champion 3-year-old male Will Take Charge and a highly promising filly named Take Charge Brandi, who is the first foal out of Charming and by Giant's Causeway . Horton purchased the filly for $435,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale out of the Paramount Sales consignment.
"I got in and then I kinda let it cool down to see what was going on," Lukas said. "We could have gotten shut out. The hammer was coming down."
The sale had appeared to be done at $1.2 million, with maybe a single rap of the auction hammer but then all the brakes when on and bidding resumed at least one more time, and Lukas secured the filly for Horton.
"Take Charge Brandi is pretty special, more than people know. She is grade-I quality. She is going to run next Sunday," he said. "I don’t think (the filly sold tonight) will be any cheaper than she was tonight."
Take Charge Brandi has made two starts this year, having won her first time out at Churchill Downs and followed up with a second place in the July 18 grade III Schuylerville Stakes.
