Eagle set for rematch against Honorable Duty in Lukas Classic

William Farish’s homebred Eagle is set for a rematch against DARRS Inc.’s Honorable Duty in Saturday’s fifth running of the $200,000 Lukas Classic (GIII) at Churchill Downs.

“He’s been doing great in his training up to this point,” trainer Neil Howard said. “I have a lot of trust in Brian (Hernandez Jr.) and he’ll hopefully run as well as he did two starts ago.

“Brian has such a hard work ethic. Not only is he an accomplished rider, he works hard and is extremely loyal. He’s a true student of the game and knows many facets of what goes into training horses.”

Howard and Hernandez have teamed up 335 times for 42 wins, 55 seconds and 47 thirds. Hernandez has ridden Eagle in 18 of his 22 starts.

Eagle, a 5-year-old horse by Candy Ride (ARG), squared off with Honorable Duty this winter at Fair Grounds in the Feb. 25 Mineshaft (GIII) and April 1 New Orleans Handicap (GII) but only managed a fourth-place effort in both starts.

Honorable Duty, the 6-5 morning line favorite, has not been seen since a runner-up finish to early Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Gun Runner in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by GE Appliances (GI).

“He’s been training really great since the Stephen Foster,” Walsh said. “We kept him at home this summer and he put his first published breeze since the race in early August. He worked six furlongs (in 1:12.60) the other morning [Sept. 23] with Corey (Lanerie) aboard and he just did it so effortlessly. He loves this surface and I think he’ll fit this race well coming back off the layoff.”

The 1 1/8-mile Lukas Classic for 3-year-olds and up honors the iconic 82-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The four-time winner of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks and conditioner of 26 Eclipse Award-winning champions has been based at Churchill Downs’ Barn 44 since 1989.

The Lukas Classic, which earned Grade III status for the first time and received a $25,000 purse increase to $200,000, is the centerpiece of a Churchill Downs stakes tripleheader that shares the spotlight with top milers in the $100,000 Ack Ack (GIII) and 3-year-olds in the $100,000 Jefferson Cup (Listed) at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course – the only stakes race on grass during the September Meet.

The complete Lukas Classic field from the rail out (with jockeys, assigned weights, and morning line odds): Seeking the Soul (Florent Geroux, 121 pounds, 8-1); Albano (Channing Hill, 121, 30-1); Fear the Cowboy (Jesus Rios, 123, 4-1); Flashy Jewel (Chris Landeros, 121, 12-1); Money Flows (Miguel Mena, 121, 5-1); Eagle (Hernandez Jr., 121, 3-1); and Honorable Duty (Lanerie, 123, 6-5).