Will Take Charge surprise winner at Saratoga

Will Take Charge waited until the final stride to get a nose past Moreno and pull off a surprise win in the Travers Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in New York. The thrilling finish gave 77-year-old Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas his third win in racing’s Mid-Summer Derby and first since 1995, with the 9-1 Will Take Charge also beating Kentucky Derby winner Orb and Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice, who finished third and fourth, respectively. Will Take Charge ran in all three Triple Crown races, but never hit the board. The huge 3-year-old colt ran second to Palace Malice in the Jim Dandy, and Lukas said his horse was ready for a big race. Will Take Charge (at right in photo), with Luis Saez aboard for the first time, ran 11/4 miles in 2:02.68, and paid $21.20, $8.60 and $5.20.

Associated Press