Recovered from Bruised Foot, Take Charge Lady Sharp in Workout

From track reports
Select Stable's Take Charge Lady, who was scratched from the Louisville Breeders' Cup (gr. II) on Kentucky Oaks Day when she suffered a bruised foot on the eve of the race, returned to serious training on Monday with a sizzling four-furlong breeze at Churchill Downs.

The Ken McPeek-trained daughter of Dehere turned in the day's finest half-mile work as she zipped over the distance in :46.40 over "fast" footing under jockey Shane Sellers. McPeek said the move put his star filly back into consideration for the $300,000 Fluer de Lis (gr. II) on the Stephen Foster card of June 14.

"It surprised us because we just wanted her to go an easy half," McPeek said by telephone from Belmont Park. "The foot seems to be a non-issue right now."

McPeek said the next few days will be critical in determining whether Take Charge Lady would make it to the Churchill Downs race.

"The next couple of days will be tell-tale," he said. "If she breezes well next week -- we'll probably come back in six days -- there's a good chance she could run in the Fleur de Lis."

Take Charge Lady suffered a narrow loss to reigning "Horse of the Year" Azeri in the Apple Blossom (gr. I). She won the Ashland (gr. I) and Spinster (gr. I) at Keeneland and won the Dogwood (gr. III) and finished second in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.