Churchill: Cox, Géroux have Hit Show, Saudi Crown on Saturday

Gary and Mary West’s homebred Hit Show headlines a field of eight older horses entered in Saturday’s 11th running of the Grade 2, $500,000 Lukas Classic, part of a Churchill Downs stakes doubleheader that includes the $400,000 Ack Ack (G3).

The Lukas Classic, named for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, will be run at 1 1/8 miles as race 10 at 10:40 p.m. EDT.  The 11-race program begins at 6 p.m.

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Hit Show, trained by Brad Cox, finished fifth in the 2023 Kentucky Derby, beaten by 6 1/4 lengths by Mage. Earlier, Hit Show posted a commanding 5 1/2-length victory in the Withers Stakes (G3) to begin his road to the Kentucky Derby. After the Triple Crown season, Hit Show finished fifth in the Jim Dandy (G2) and sixth in the Oklahoma Derby (G3).

After those last two disappointing finishes, Hit Show went to the sidelines for the remainder of the year but returned as a 4-year-old in early May when he scored a 2 1/4-length victory in an allowance race at Churchill Downs. He enters the Lukas Classic following a determined, half-length win in the West Virginia Governor’s Cup (G3) at Mountaineer.

Florent Géroux will ride Hit Show from post 6.

Grade 3 winner and 2023 Travers (G1) runner-up Disarm and eight-time winner and 2023 Stephen Foster (G1) runner-up Rattle N Roll are among Hit Show’s main rivals in the Lukas Classic.

Saudi Crown headlines Ack Ack

Talented 4-year-old colt Saudi Crown leads a field of seven older horses entered in the Ack Ack, a win-and-you’re-in race for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Run as a one-turn mile, the Ack Ack will be run under the lights as race 8 on Saturday at 9:39 p.m. EDT.

Owned by FMQ Stables and Trained by Cox, Saudi Crown had a strong 2023 season, winning the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and finishing a close second in both the Jim Dandy (G2) and the Dwyer.

After a 10th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, he returned victorious as a 4-year-old in the Louisiana Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds followed by a third in the Saudi Cup (G1) and a 12th in the Godolphin Mile (G2) at Dubai.

Saudi Crown returned to North America racing in mid-August, leading the field from gate to wire in the R.A. Cowboy Jones Stakes as the 3-5 favorite.

Géroux will ride Saudi Crown in the Ack Ack from post 7.

Cagliostro and Tumbarumba, the top two finishers for Wathnan Racing in the Hanshin Stakes at Churchill Downs, are among Saudi Crown’s rivals Saturday.

Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Cagliostro held off Tumbarumba by a length in the June 30 Hanshin. He enters the Ack Ack after a troubled fourth-place finish in the Forego (G1) at Saratoga.

José Ortiz will ride Cagliostro from post 3.

Speedy Tumbarumba, trained by Brian Lynch, has been consistent throughout his 15-race career with five wins, five seconds and two thirds. A Louisiana-bred son of Oscar Performance, Tumbarumba finished just one length behind Cagliostro in the Hanshin. Before that he finished a scant nose behind Steal Sunshine in the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) and was beaten by a long neck by Il Miracolo in the Ghostzapper Stakes (G3).

Luis Sáez has the call on Tumbarumba from the rail.