Churchill Downs: Lukas Classic, Ack Ack headline Saturday

Churchill Downs will showcase three stakes Saturday led by a competitive field for the 10th running of the Grade 2, $500,000 Lukas Classic. 

Run at 1 1/8 miles, the Lukas Classic will go as race 10 of 11 with a post time of 5:26 p.m. EDT. Saturday’s program also features the $400,000 Ack Ack (G3), a Breeders’ Cup win-and-you’re-in race for the Dirt Mile. The first post is at 12:45 p.m. EDT.

In the Lukas Classic, five-time graded-stakes winner Rattle N Roll, campaigned by Lucky Seven Stable, will attempt to rebound from his sixth-place finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) as the 8-5 favorite. Before that Rattle N Roll finished just a half-length behind West Will Power in the Stephen Foster (G1).

As a 3-year-old, Rattle N Roll tallied victories in the American Derby, St. Louis Derby and Oklahoma Derby (G3). Now 4, the Kenny McPeek-trained son of Connect sports victories in the Ben Ali, Pimlico Special, and Blame, all Grade 3s. Rattle N Roll will break from post 4 in the Lukas Classic under regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr.

Stephen Foster third-place finisher Happy American, Grade 3 winner Clapton and Longacres Mile winner Five Star General are among Rattle N Roll’s competition in the Lukas Classic.

2023 Lukas Classic Stakes G2

Post	Silks	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last Start / Next Start	HRN
1		Happy American Runhappy	4.47	Neil L. Pessin James Graham	3rd, 2023 Stephen Foster G1	Entered
Last Race		3rd, 2023 Stephen Foster G1
2		Clapton Brethren	4.91	Chad Summers Cristian A. Torres	4th, 2023 Jockey Club Gold Cup G1	Entered
Last Race		4th, 2023 Jockey Club Gold Cup G1
3		Warrant Constitution	5.67	Brad H. Cox Florent Geroux	5th, 2023 Cornhusker Handicap G3	Entered
Last Race		5th, 2023 Cornhusker Handicap G3
4		Rattle N Roll Connect	6.27	Kenneth G. McPeek Brian J. Hernandez, Jr.	6th, 2023 Jockey Club Gold Cup G1	Entered
Last Race		6th, 2023 Jockey Club Gold Cup G1
5		Trademark Upstart	5.17	Victoria H. Oliver Martin Garcia	2nd, 2023 Philip H. Iselin G3	Entered
Last Race		2nd, 2023 Philip H. Iselin G3
6		Blue Devil Uncle Mo	0.00	Jeff Hiles Ricardo Santana, Jr.	1st, Sar AlwOC (8/18/23-R7)	Entered
Last Race		1st, Sar AlwOC (8/18/23-R7)
7		Whelen Springs Street Sense	3.79	Lindsay Schultz Jose C. Ferrer	1st, 2023 Philip H. Iselin G3	Entered
Last Race		1st, 2023 Philip H. Iselin G3
8		Five Star General Distorted Humor	5.56	Grant T. Forster Corey J. Lanerie	1st, 2023 Longacres Mile LS	Entered
Last Race		1st, 2023 Longacres Mile LS
9		Americanrevolution Constitution	7.35	Todd A. Pletcher Tyler Gaffalione	4th, 2023 Evan Shipman RS	Entered
Last Race		4th, 2023 Evan Shipman RS

Grade 2 winner Three Technique will attempt to get an automatic berth in Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile as the headliner of the 31st running of the Grade 3, $400,000 Ack Ack, race 9 at 4:55 p.m. EDT. 

Three Technique will try to win his seventh race when he breaks from post 3 under Rafael Bejarano. Trained by Jason Cook for owners David Miler, Eric Grindley and John Werner, Three Technique hasn’t competed since his 3 3/4-length score in the John A. Nerud (G2) on July 1 at Belmont Park, but he has remained in steady training at the Trackside Training Center in Louisville, Ky.

A son of Mr Speaker, Three Technique ran in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile but only managed a sixth-place finish.

Cowboy Jones winner Stage Raider, two-time stakes winner Zozos and four-time winner O Besos also are in the Ack Ack.

2023 Ack Ack G3

Post	Silks	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last Start / Next Start	HRN
1		Seize The Night Carpe Diem	0.00	Jade Cunningham Jon Kenton Court	3rd, 2023 R.A. Cowboy Jones LS	Entered
Last Race		3rd, 2023 R.A. Cowboy Jones LS
2		O Besos Orb	6.66	Gregory D. Foley Tyler Gaffalione	2nd, 2023 Jeff Hall Memorial LS	Entered
Last Race		2nd, 2023 Jeff Hall Memorial LS
3		Three Technique Mr Speaker	6.21	Jason G. Cook Rafael Bejarano	1st, 2023 John A. Nerud G2	Entered
Last Race		1st, 2023 John A. Nerud G2
4		Stage Raider Pioneerof the Nile	4.49	Cherie DeVaux Brian J. Hernandez, Jr.	1st, 2023 R.A. Cowboy Jones LS	Entered
Last Race		1st, 2023 R.A. Cowboy Jones LS
5		Zozos Munnings	6.72	Brad H. Cox Florent Geroux	4th, 2023 Philip H. Iselin G3	Entered
Last Race		4th, 2023 Philip H. Iselin G3
6		Skyro Tiz Ro	4.79	Brian A. Lynch James Graham	8th, 2022 Tapit RS	Entered
Last Race		8th, 2022 Tapit RS
7		Caddo River Hard Spun	6.67	D. Wayne Lukas Declan Cannon	10th, 2023 Knicks Go Overnight LS	Entered
Last Race		10th, 2023 Knicks Go Overnight LS