CHAMPION MAKER

on track in 2022 through her grade 1-winning daughter, As Time Goes By. Others who trace to Take Charge Lady on their female lines are champions Will Take Charge and Take Charge Brandi. Her heirs are guaranteed to remain prominent thanks to the stallion careers of Will Take Charge and additional grade 1-winning descendants Take Charge Indy and Omaha Beach.

Other Ashland winners became purveyors of their own prominent lines.

Real Delight received lasting fame as a foundation broodmare. She is the third dam of 1978 Blue Grass winner and Hall of Famer Alydar and two distinguished half sisters: champion Our Mims and 1980 Ashland winner Sugar and Spice. She is the ffh dam of 2007 Ashland heroine Christmas Kid.

Blush With Pride won the 1982 Ashland prior to evolving into a prolifc producer of exceptional performers. Her daughter Better Tan Honour was named 2007 Broodmare of the Year for producing Belmont Stakes winners in Rags to Riches and Jazil. Te female lineage continues to churn out such quality performers as Cezanne, a grade 2 winner in 2022.

Prospectors Delite, victorious in 1992, had only fve foals, but all were stakes winners that earned her the 2003 Broodmare of the Year title. Te best of the bunch was 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaf, who continues his long and successful stallion career.

My Flag took the Ashland in 1992 and carried high hopes for her breeding career as a daughter of the renowned Personal Ensign. She did not disappoint. She has generated a new line of top-tier runners highlighted by her champion daughter, Storm Flag Flying.

Te descendants of 1987 Ashland winner Chic Shirine have done their part to populate the winner’s circle. A recent example is Olympiad, an Eclipse Award fnalist in 2022.

“Winning or placing in the Ashland makes a big diference to a flly’s value as a broodmare,” McPeek said. “It is something that adds to her pedigree page that can never be taken away.” KM