Honorable Duty stands out in Lukas Classic as September meet ends

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A trio of stakes next Saturday is shaping up as a fitting end to an eventful September meet at Churchill Downs, with Honorable Duty returning as the horse to beat in the richest race, the Grade 3, $200,000 Lukas Classic.

Honorable Duty will make his first start since finishing second in the Alysheba and Stephen Foster at the Churchill spring meet. Before that, the 5-year-old gelding swept three stakes over the winter at Fair Grounds in coming to prominence in the national handicap division. After the Foster on June 17, he got a short break before resuming a steady workout schedule in early August at Churchill for trainer Brendan Walsh.

The Lukas Classic, named for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, and the two other Saturday stakes were designed in part to avert conflict with the opening weekend (Oct. 6-8) of the 17-day Keeneland meet. The 1 1/8-mile Lukas Classic and one-mile Ack Ack are both for older horses on dirt, and Keeneland has no major race in that niche until late October. The third Saturday race, the Jefferson Cup, is for 3-year-old turf horses, and there is no such stakes at the Keeneland fall meet.

Here is a quick rundown:

◗ Grade 3, $200,000 Lukas Classic: The main threat to Honorable Duty was supposed to be Sticksstatelydude, but trainer Greg Burchell said Friday the 4-year-old colt has aggravated an old injury and will be sidelined “for the next couple weeks.” That leaves Eagle, Fear the Cowboy, Flashy Jewel, and probably a couple more opponents from a nominations list of 22.

McCraken might well have been favored in either the Lukas Classic or Ack Ack – he is nominated to both – but trainer Ian Wilkes said Friday the 3-year-old colt won’t race again until the Oct. 28 Fayette at Keeneland, followed by the Nov. 24 Clark at Churchill.

McCraken had his first work since finishing seventh in the Aug. 26 Travers when he breezed a half-mile in 49.20 seconds on Sept. 15.

◗ Grade 3, $100,000 Ack Ack: This race lost a prime prospect when Tom’s Ready was shipped to New York for the Kelso Mile, but a core of favorites led by Awesome Slew, The Player, and Warrior’s Club still make this a competitive event.

Awesome Slew was scheduled to return to Churchill this week after an extended summer at Saratoga, where on Friday the 4-year-old colt had his final pre-race work, breezing a half-mile in 49.40 seconds at the Oklahoma training track.

Warrior’s Club, trained by Lukas, has thrilled his many owners while steadily improving throughout his 16 starts. Owned by the 200-member Churchill Racing Club, the 3-year-old colt has earned $293,299 following a last-out allowance victory on closing weekend at Saratoga.

◗ $100,000 Jefferson Cup: Cowboy Culture is foremost among three nominations for Brad Cox, but the trainer said Friday he is unsure of his plans for this 1 1/8-mile race. Known prospects include Bronson, Giant Payday, Guest Suite, Mr. Bariley, and maybe a few more.

Entries for Saturday will be drawn Wednesday.