Twinkle Town Brings Attention to Take Charge Indy

It's still far too early to get overly enthusiastic about performances by 2-year-olds, and many an impressive Saratoga Race Course juvenile has become a distant memory by the time we reach the Breeders' Cup. That said, the Aug. 1 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) winner Twinkle Town has already left little room for doubt that he is an exceptionally speedy and talented individual. A wire-to-wire, 6 1/4-length winner of a 6-furlong maiden special weight June 27 at Churchill Downs, Twinkle Town was again in front early in the Saratoga Special and drew off to score by 6 lengths from Booked—himself a wide-margin winner of the Sanford Stakes (G3) on his previous start—with the third, Churchill Downs debut winner How's Al Today, another 7 lengths in arrears. Twinkle Town is by Take Charge Indy, who, at 17 years old, has the distinction of being the only son of A.P. Indy remaining at stud in Kentucky. Although he was precocious enough and quick enough to win over 6 furlongs on debut at 2, and then run second in the 2011 Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3), Take Charge Indy matured into a middle-distance runner. He scored his most notable triumph at 3, capturing the Florida Derby (G1), and although he didn't win again that season, he did return at 4 to take the Alysheba Stakes (G2) by 6 lengths. That race record, matched with a flashy pedigree—in addition to being a son of A.P. Indy, he is out of three-time grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady, also the dam of 2013 champion 3-year-old colt Will Take Charge and, subsequently, grade 1 winner As Time Goes By, and the granddam of 2014 champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi and later Omaha Beach—was sufficient for Take Charge Indy to retire to WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky., to stand his first season in 2014, at a fee of $20,000. In November 2016, though, came the surprising news that Take Charge Indy would be moving from WinStar to Jeju Stud Farm in South Korea. This was apparently the result of an offer "too good to refuse," but it may also have been influenced by the fact that Take Charge Indy's first yearlings, which reached the sales in 2016, averaged only $39,879, with a median of just $23,500. Almost inevitably, having been exported before his first runners hit the track, Take Charge Indy made a bright start to his career. Fourteen runners from his first two crops captured black-type events, headed by the 2018 Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Noble Indy and Forward Gal Stakes (G3) heroine Take Charge Paula from his first crop, and Long Range Toddy, an earner of more than $1.2 million, including a win in the 2019 Rebel Stakes (G2), from his second. This early success inspired WinStar to repatriate Take Charge Indy, rather amusingly, with initial TV advertising after his return featuring then-WinStar chief Elliott Walden apparently fielding calls from clients demanding the stallion's return. Take Charge Indy's second WinStar career began in 2020 and, having failed to sire a single black-type winner from three Korean crops, he was represented by seven stakes winners from 100 foals in his 2021 crop, although none scored in graded company. The following season, Take Charge Indy sired only 48 foals, of which four scored in black-type events, headed by last year's Charles Town Oaks (G2) winner Indy Bay, and he has yet to be represented by a black-type winner from his 2023 crop. He stood for $7,500 for the most recent season. There is no black type in Twinkle Town's first two dams, but he is the first foal for his dam Southern Grayce, who showed well-above-average ability. The speedy daughter of Liam's Map took a Churchill Downs maiden special weight on debut at 2, and went on to add three more wins in allowance optional claiming company, including back-to-back scores at Oaklawn Park in her last two outings, both at 4, retiring with earnings of $302,929. The second dam, She Be Keene (by Posse), made 12 starts without a win, although all were in maiden special weight events, and she did earn two seconds and four thirds. More importantly, She Be Keene was a half sister to She Be Wild, Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) heroine and the champion 2-year-old filly of 2009. She is also a half sister to Wild Empress, the dam of this year's Louisiana Derby winner Emerging Market. She Be Keene's second dam Duck Trap was a dual stakes winner, and is out of Lilya's for Real, the ancestress of several smart performers, among them Portcullis, champion grass male in Canada in 2002, and Carson Hollow, successful in the 2002 Prioress Stakes (G1). The family goes back to Dean's List, a half sister to a pair of celebrities in Quadrangle, who defeated Northern Dancer in the 1964 Belmont Stakes, and Secret Step, a Native Dancer daughter who was rated champion sprinter in England in 1962 and co-champion in 1963. Twinkle Town is the second stakes winner from only 10 starters by A.P. Indy sons and grandsons out of mares by Liam's Map, a horse who is shaping up as a promising young broodmare sire. Beyond that, there is an interesting pedigree pattern here. Take Charge Indy's dam Take Charge Lady, who we have noted as a talented runner and highly successful producer, is by a son of Deputy Minister out of a mare by Fappiano son Rubiano, whereas Southern Grayce is by a great-grandson of Fappiano—Unbridled, a horse with a very similar background to Rubiano—out of a mare by a grandson of Deputy Minister.