Five-time winner Most Wanted tops a competitive lineup of eight milers entered in Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs.
The Ack Ack, run at a one-turn mile, is the eighth race on an 11-race program which features the $500,000 Lukas Classic (G2). First post is 12:45 p.m. EDT with the Ack Ack scheduled for 4:26 p.m.
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Most Wanted will meet several proven rivals in the Ack Ack, including Hanshin winner Will Take It, recent Cowboy Jones winner Tumbarumba and defending Ack Ack victor Three Technique.
Trained by Brad Cox for owners Gary and Mary West, Most Wanted has finished first or second in 8 of 9 starts while earning $910,093. As a 3-year-old he won the Oklahoma Derby (G3) and Ellis Park Derby and was runner-up in the Clark (G2). In 2025 the 4-year-old son of Candy Ride captured an allowance at Churchill Downs and finished second in both the Alysheba (G2) and Challenger (G3). Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount from the rail.
Will Take It, owned by Willis Horton Racing and Whisper Hill Farm, has not raced since scoring a neck victory over Banishing in the Hanshin Stakes on closing day of the Churchill Downs spring meet. The 4-year-old Tapit colt has logged eight local works for his return and will break from post 2 with Brian Hernandez Jr. in the irons.
Wathnan Racing’s Tumbarumba, second in last year’s Ack Ack before a fourth-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, enters Saturday’s race following a victory in the Cowboy Jones at Ellis Park. Trained by Brian Lynch, the 5-year-old Louisiana-bred will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 5.
Three Technique, campaigned by Eric Gridley, David Miller, Howard Preuss and John Werner, is set for his 45th career start and fourth Ack Ack appearance. Trained by Jason Cook, he won last year’s race by 1 1/2 lengths before finishing 12th in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He also was third in the 2022 and 2023 Ack Ack. Florent Géroux rides from post 7.
2025 Ack Ack G3
Horse Racing Nation speed figures are in parentheses.
