Hot Rod Charlie will start from stall 5 in Lukas Classic, Art Collector gets post 2
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Hot Rod Charlie and Art Collector head a six-horse field that also includes 2022 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike in the Saturday feature at Churchill Downs, the Grade 2, $500,000 Lukas Classic.
Hot Rod Charlie, with Tyler Gaffalione to ride, was assigned post 5 in the Lukas Classic, a 1 1/8-mile race that shares the Saturday spotlight with the Grade 3, $300,000 Ack Ack. The one-mile Ack Ack is a Win and You’re In toward the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland.
Art Collector, with Luis Saez riding from post 2, was withheld by trainer Bill Mott from the Grade 1 Woodward on Saturday at Aqueduct to run here instead. The 5-year-old horse comes off a 4 1/4-length romp in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic.
From the rail, this is the field for the ninth Lukas Classic: King Fury, Art Collector, Happy Saver, Rich Strike, Hot Rod Charlie, and Chess Chief.
Rich Strike, the 80-1 winner of the May 7 Derby, will have Sonny Leon in from Florida to ride. Trained by Eric Reed, the Keen Ice colt is the sixth Derby winner in the last 25 years to run back at Churchill following his historic win, following Silver Charm, Giacomo, Mine That Bird, Always Dreaming, and Mandaloun.
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Mott has the solid favorite in the 30th Ack Ack in Speaker’s Corner, who will have Junior Alvarado aboard from post 1 in a field of 10. From the rail, the Ack Ack lineup is Speaker’s Corner, Untreated, Fulsome, Surly Furious, Three Technique, Silver Prospector, Inunction, Senor Buscador, Mailman Money, and Twilight Blue.
The Ack Ack is set for 4:55 p.m. Eastern as the ninth of 11 races on a Saturday card that starts at 12:45. The Lukas directly follows as race 10 (5:26). The local forecast calls for cloudy but dry weather with high temperatures in the low 70s.
Sunday is closing day at the 14-day, dirt-only September meet. Keeneland starts its 17-day fall meet Oct. 7.
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