Take Charge Lady Probably Still Headed For Oaks

Even though Take Charge Lady was an impressive winner in the Ashland Stakes (gr. I) on Saturday at Keeneland, she probably will still run in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) instead of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). But trainer Kenny McPeek, interviewed on Sunday morning, did not completely rule out a Derby start.

"If I had to say today, I would say the Oaks (gr. I)," he said. "But we've still got our options wide open. There's still four weeks to go. We might be tempted to go for the Derby. If she would run as well in the Oaks as she did in the Ashland, we might come back in the Preakness."

Take Charge Lady is owned by Select Stable, which also races Repent, who finished a distant second in the Illinois Derby (gr. II) Saturday.

"He's still set for the (Kentucky) Derby," said McPeek, who blamed the loss on a slow early pace.

If something would happen to keep Repent out of the Derby, then Take Charge Lady would be more likely to run for the roses.

"We could run them together (in the Derby), but I doubt we would," McPeek said.