Take Charge Lady (foaled 4 February 1999) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was one of the leading fillies of her generation in the United States, winning 11 of her 22 races between April 2001 and November 2003, earning over $2 million. She recorded Grade I victories in the Ashland Stakes and consecutive editions of the Spinster Stakes, and also won the Alcibiades Stakes, Silverbulletday Stakes, Fair Grounds Oaks, Dogwood Stakes and Arlington Matron Stakes.
After her retirement from racing she became a successful broodmare, producing the Grade I winners Take Charge Indy, winner of the 2012 Florida Derby and Will Take Charge, 2013 Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse. In addition, her first foal Charming is the dam of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Take Charge Brandi.
Background
Take Charge Lady is a bay mare with a white star bred in Kentucky by William Schettine, the owner of the Florida-based Signature Stallions stud. During her racing career she was described a being "lean" and "lanky" in appearance. She was sired by Dehere, the American Champion two-year-old colt of 1993 whose other progeny included Defier (George Main Stakes) and Graeme Hall (Jim Dandy Stakes). Take Charge Lady's dam Felicita, was an unraced daughter of the American Champion Sprint Horse Rubiano.
As a yearling, the filly was consigned by Bluewater Sales to the Fasig-Tipton sale and was bought for $175,000 by the trainer Kenneth McPeek, acting as an agent. She entered the ownership of Jerry and Faye Bach's Select Stable and was trained during her racing career by McPeek.
Racing career
2001: two-year-old season
Take Charge Lady was ridden in most of her early races by Tony D'Amico. The filly made her debut by winning a maiden race at Keeneland in April, but was then off the track for almost five months before returning to win an allowance race over one mile at Turfway Park in September. Four weeks later Take Charge Lady was moved up in class distance and started at odds of 5.8/1 for the Grade II Alcibiades Stakes over eight and a half furlong at Keeneland. D'Amico tracked the favorite Never Out before sending his mount into the lead early in the stretch and winning by a length. McPeek described the winner as "just class top to bottom... she's very, very, very special", before adding "I'm just trying to keep from messing her up".
Take Charge Lady was stepped up again on 27 October for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Belmont Park and was made the 11/1 fourth choice in the betting behind the Frizette Stakes winner You, Bella Bellucci and Habibti. She disputed the lead in the early stages but faded in the second half of the race and finished sixth of the nine runner behind Tempera. On her final appearance of the season, the filly started favorite for the Grade II Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs but was beaten four and a half lengths by the Carl Nafzger-trained Belterra, to whom she was conceding five pounds.
2002: three-year-old season
Take Charge Lady began her second season with two races at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. Jon Court took over the ride from D'Amico when the filly made her seasonal debut in the Grade III Silverbulletday Stakes over one and one sixteenth of a mile on February 16. Starting the 1.6/1 favorite, she led from the start and drew away from her four opponents to win by eight and a half lengths from Charmed Gift. Her winning time of 1:42.09 equaled the track record. Take Charge Lady was reunited with D'Amico and started 1/2 favorite for the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks over the same distance three weeks later. Racing on a sloppy track, she took the lead soon after the start and accelerated clear in the stretch to win by five length from Lake Lady. Following the race D'Amico said that the winner was "turning into something extraordinary" whilst owner Jerry Bach was jubilant after winning the Louisiana Derby with Repent earlier on the card. On April 6 the filly was moved back into Grade I class and faced a rematch with Belterra in the Ashland Stakes (a trial race for the Kentucky Oaks) at Keeneland. She recovered from being bumped at the start to overtake Colonial Glitter at half-distance, went clear of the field entering the stretch, and won by four and a quarter lengths from Take the Cake, with Belterra a further two and a half lengths back in third place. The filly's success gave D'Amico his first at Grade I level and gave him compensation for losing the rides on the Kentucky Derby contenders Repent and Harlan's Holiday. He commented; "This is just a remarkable day for me. It takes a lot of the pain away".