By Steve Sherack
In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack tracks down top horses on the sidelines.
Whisper Hill Farm homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (c, 3, Tapit–I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie), off since posting a jaw-dropping, 23-length victory in the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park July 2, is gearing up for a 4-year-old campaign.
Forced to miss intended second-half targets in the GI Runhappy Travers S. and GI Pennsylvania Derby with a foot issue, Charge It has since posted a trio of breezes this winter at Whisper Hill's training center in Ocala, Florida. The gray rejoined trainer Todd Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs string Dec. 20.
“With the time, he's filled out so much,” said Todd Quast, advisor to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. “He was always a big, beautiful horse, but he just blossomed with a little break and a little time in the sun down here. I think we're ready for a really big 4-year-old campaign.”
Quast continued, “We're not trying to pick a race or have it mapped out yet. We'll let him tell us. Originally, we had hoped to get to a race in late December, so I don't think we'd be ready for the [GI] Pegasus [World Cup Jan. 28]. He's an exceptional horse, he's shown that already. Todd is gonna start breezing him and make sure that he sees the same thing that I'm seeing because he's just awesome right now.”
A no-brainer 'Rising Star' at second asking at Gulfstream Feb. 12, Charge It was a green but very good second while making his two-turn debut in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Apr. 2. He put behind a troubled 17th in the GI Kentucky Derby with his aforementioned romp in the Dwyer, good for a 111 Beyer Speed Figure.
Only Epicenter (Not This Time) and Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) scored higher on the Beyer scale among sophomores in 2022, co-topping the 3-year-old leaderboard with 112 ratings in the Travers and GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile S., respectively.
“To win that race by 23 lengths and to be even thinking about the Secretariat pole–that was a crazy race,” Quast said. “We were very excited as was everybody else. It was just a little foot thing that kept us from going on. Kudos to Todd and his team for not pushing him. We did right by him and I think he's ready to have a really good year. We're super happy with him.”
Charge It was produced by the winning mare I'll Take Charge, a $2.2-million KEESEP yearling purchase by Pope's operation. The 10-year-old is a daughter of bluehen mare Take Charge Lady (Dehere), who is responsible for champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), GISW Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy), GISW As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) and Charming (Seeking the Gold), the dam of champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) and MGISW Omaha Beach (War Front).
Charge It is one of 50 'Rising Stars' by perennial leading sire Tapit. The Tapit over Indian Charlie cross is also responsible for 2022 slam dunk Horse of the Year Flightline.
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