Whisper Hill Farm homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (c, 4, Tapit–I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie) got his season back on track with a dominating performance in Saturday's GII Suburban S. at Belmont Park.
The 3-5 favorite, a 23-length winner in last term's GIII Dwyer S. over the same surface, was kept out in the clear by Johnny Velazquez and took over following an opening quarter in :24.49. Still racing several paths off the rail down the backstretch, the gray took the field of five into the far turn in complete control and never had an anxious moment in the stretch, reporting home a 4 3/4-length winner over Clapton (Brethren). Unbridled Bomber (Upstart) was third.
A green but very good second in last year's GI Curlin Florida Derby while making just his third career start, Charge It finished a forgettable 17th in the GI Kentucky Derby prior to his aforementioned tour-de-force victory in Elmont last July. Charge It was forced to miss intended 2022 second-half targets in the GI Runhappy Travers S. and GI Pennsylvania Derby with a foot issue (TDN APBs).
He finally resurfaced with an optional claiming win at Gulfstream Feb. 5, but failed to find the winner's circle in his next three attempts. Second as the chalk in the GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S. Mar. 4, Charge It was fifth as the favorite with blinkers added in the GII Oaklawn H. Apr. 22 and fourth on the turnback to a one-turn mile in the prestigious GI Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan H. last time June 10.
“He broke a little bit awkwardly but recovered and put himself in a good spot,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He was in cruise control throughout. [John Velazquez] left him off the rail a little bit to keep him relaxed, but he was traveling so well and it was coming pretty easily to him, you don't want to take that away.”
Regarding a potential next start in the GI Whitney S. at Saratoga Aug. 5, Pletcher added, “The spacing is pretty good if we want to consider the Whitney, which is obviously going to be a more difficult assignment, but he's always been a horse that's impressed us as a top-class horse. Maybe he's starting to put it all together.”
CHARGE IT wins the G2 Suburban Stakes by almost five lengths with @ljlmvel aboard for @PletcherRacing! #BelmontPark pic.twitter.com/mpl6HAPuwV
— NYRA (🌳) (@TheNYRA) July 8, 2023
Pedigree Notes:
Charge It is one of 102 graded winners for leading sire Tapit. The Tapit over Indian Charlie cross is also responsible for last year's brilliant Horse of the Year Flightline.
Charge It was produced by the winning mare I'll Take Charge, a $2.2-million KEESEP yearling purchase by Mandy Pope's operation. The 11-year-old is a daughter of blue-hen mare Take Charge Lady (Dehere), who is responsible for champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), GISW Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy), MGSW & GISP 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). I'll Take Charge produced a colt by Into Mischief in 2022 and a filly by Tapit this year.
Saturday, Belmont
SUBURBAN S.-GII, $339,500, Belmont, 7-8, 4yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:01.31, ft.
1–CHARGE IT, 120, c, 4, by Tapit
1st Dam: I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Take Charge Lady, by Dehere
3rd Dam: Felicita, by Rubiano
O/B-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-John
Velazquez. $192,500. 'TDN Rising Star' Lifetime Record:
GISP, 10-4-3-0, $717,600. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Clapton, 120, c, 4, Brethren–Alexandra Rylee, by Afleet
Alex. O-/B-Arindel (FL); T-Juan Alvarado. $70,000.
3–Unbridled Bomber, 118, c, 4, Upstart–Unbridledexplosion,
by Eddington. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($35,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Edward C. Potash, Brad
Yankanich, and James T. Ryerson; B-Unbridled
Explosion, LLC (KY); T-James T. Ryerson. $42,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 4, NK. Odds: 0.65, 11.80, 6.70.
Also Ran: Red Run, Tonal Impact.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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