A small but talented field of seven is entered for the first edition of the 1 1/8-mile Lukas Classic Stakes (G2) since the death of the race's legendary namesake, D. Wayne Lukas.
Although the $500,000 race occurs at Churchill Downs Sept. 27 on the first weekend of fall, the connections of Hit Show—Wathnan Racing and trainer Brad Cox—are already thinking ahead to the spring.
Like last year when he won the Lukas Classic, the son of Candy Ride exits a triumph in the West Virginia Governor's Stakes. He would eventually triumph in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) in April. A return to the Middle East is the goal again for the following spring, trainer Brad Cox said on the Sept. 22 episode of the BloodHorse Monday podcast.
"This horse, he's tough," Cox said on BloodHorse Monday. "He just keeps bringing it every time you lead him over there, never disappoints. There's been some races where obviously he doesn't win or run second, but he always tries hard."
Lucky Seven Stable and Sharaf Mohamad Alhariri's Rattle N Roll also finds himself on a path that last year led to the Middle East.
After finishing fourth in the 2023 Lukas Classic, the son of Connect returned from a year-long layoff to finish third in 2024. This year, he's only returning from a 5 1/2-month freshening since running eighth in Dubai, but trainer Kenny McPeek thought the Lukas was a good place to get started given the field size.
"He's trained exceptionally well all month," McPeek said. "When it came up a short field, I decided to put him in because he's so fond of this racetrack. I thought instead of giving him a longer work next weekend, we'd go ahead and give him a chance to run."
Rattle N Roll holds a 4-1-3 record from nine starts at Churchill Downs, and perhaps the only contender who can say they like the track more is his McPeek stablemate, Mystik Dan.
The 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner will be without regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr., who was injured in a fall at Churchill Downs Sept. 21. As of Sept. 22, McPeek had not named a new rider to guide the son of Goldencents in his return to dirt after finishing fourth in the Arlington Million Stakes (G1T) last month.
READ: Hernandez Jr. Injured in Sunday Fall at Churchill Downs
Also in the field are recent Charles Town Classic (G2) 1-2 finishers Banishing and Willy D's, graded stakes-winning Disarm, and potential pace player Prince of Power.
Churchill Downs, Saturday, September 27, 2025, Race 10Entries: Lukas Classic S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Willy D's (KY) Luis Saez 121 Michael J. Maker - 2 Hit Show (KY) Florent Geroux 125 Brad H. Cox - 3 Rattle N Roll (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 123 Kenneth G. McPeek - 4 Prince of Power (KY) Emmanuel Esquivel 121 Jesus Esquivel - 5 Mystik Dan (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 123 Kenneth G. McPeek - 6 Disarm (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 121 Steven M. Asmussen - 7 Banishing (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 125 David Jacobson -
Tumbarumba Starts Day for Wathnan in Ack Ack
Wathnan Racing will not have to wait for Hit Show to get the stakes action started as Tumbarumba is among a field of eight in the $400,000 Ack Ack Stakes (G3) over a one-turn mile.
The always game Brian Lynch-trained Oscar Performance gelding snapped his 10-race losing streak Aug. 10 with a gritty victory in the R. A. "Cowboy" Jones Stakes at Ellis Park.
He faces several hot rivals returning from layoffs, including Willis Horton Racing and Whisper Hill Farm's Will Take It for trainer Dallas Stewart. The Tapit colt won both his starts in the Churchill Downs spring meet, culminating with a victory when last seen in the Hanshin Stakes.
Maccabee Farm's Who Dey enters on a three-race win streak in Ohio dating back a year as he makes his first start since May for Tommy Drury Jr.
Meanwhile, Gary and Mary West's highly talented Most Wanted aims to bounce back from his first off-the-board finish when fifth in the Forego Stakes (G1) last month over a shorter seven furlongs.
Churchill Downs, Saturday, September 27, 2025, Race 8Entries: Ack Ack S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Most Wanted (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 121 Brad H. Cox - 2 Will Take It (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 123 Dallas Stewart - 3 Surly Furious (KY) Ben Curtis 121 Glenn S. Wismer - 4 This Is Uscar (KY) Edgar Morales 121 Jordan Blair - 5 Tumbarumba (LA) Tyler Gaffalione 123 Brian A. Lynch - 6 Indispensable (KY) Luis Saez 121 John W. Sadler - 7 Three Technique (KY) Florent Geroux 121 Jason G. Cook - 8 Who Dey (OH) Luan Machado 121 Thomas Drury, Jr. -
