Immaculately Bred Will Take It Downs Dragoon Guard at Churchill

[Wandering Eyes]

1st-Churchill Downs, $131,055, Alw (C), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 5-22, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:34.09, ft, 1/2 length.
WILL TAKE IT (c, 4, Tapit–Lady Take Charge, by War Front) was the third fiddle from a pari-mutuel perspective, but was the recipient of a cerebral ride from Brian Hernandez, Jr. to spoil the return to action of dual Grade III winner and heavily favored Dragoon Guard (Arrogate).

Off at odds just under 7-1, the $700,000 Keeneland September graduate was content to sit fifth down the back in the slipstream of Juddmonte's gray colt as Frosted Departure (Frosted) cut out the running from the very classy Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance). Lying in wait around the turn as Dragoon Guard came under a bit of pressure from Florent Geroux, Will Take It popped out off cover and had aim as Dragoon Guard claimed a narrow advantage inside the eighth pole. The lead was short-lived, however, as Will Take It capitalized on his recency advantage and did slightly the better work through the line.

The immaculately bred colt endured a tough 3-year-old campaign, with just an Oaklawn maiden win to show from 10 starts for trainer Eddie Milligan, Jr. But he won two of three two-turn allowance tries for this barn in New Orleans over the winter and was exiting a runner-up effort to 'TDN Rising Star' Unmatched Wisdom (Cairo Prince) in a sloppy Keeneland allowance Apr. 25.

In the name of her Whisper Hill Farm, Mandy Pope gave a foal sales-topping $3.2 million for Lady Take Charge at Keeneland November in 2015, and with good reason. Her three-times Grade I-winning dam Take Charge Lady (Dehere) bred eight winners from nine to race–Lady Take Charge did not face the starter–including champion MGISW Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), GISW sire Take Charge Indy(A.P. Indy) and GISW As Time Goes By (American Pharoah). Take Charge Lady's daughter Charming (Seeking the Gold), herself a $3.2-million KEESEP yearling, has gained fame as the dam of Willis Horton's champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) and treble Grade I winner and top sire Omaha Beach (War Front). Take Charge Lady is also the granddam of Pope's GSW & GISP 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit). Lady Take Charge is also responsible for the unraced 3-year-old filly Fife and Drum (Tapit) and colts by Into Mischief foaled in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Sales history: $700,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 16-4-4-1, $362,404. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Willis Horton Racing LLC & Whisper Hill Farm LLC; B-Whisper Hill Farm LLC (KY); T-Dallas Stewart.

 

WILL TAKE IT ($15.96) took the opener at @ChurchillDowns from Dragoon Guard! @b_hernandezjr was aboard the four-year-old Tapit (@Gainesway) colt for trainer @DallasStewart3. Will Take It is a grandson of multiple Grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady. pic.twitter.com/WMsWNr6FwT

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) May 22, 2025

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