Tumbarumba catches Most Wanted in Ack Ack Stakes
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The 5-year-old gelding Tumbarumba a year ago went on a four-race streak of second-place finishes, checked in fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, then was second again. On Saturday, he made it two wins in a row – perhaps running the best race of his career – wearing down odds-on favorite Most Wanted to win the Grade 3, $400,000 Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Tumbarumba, no surprise, finished second in the 2024 Ack Ack, but responded favorably to aggressive tactics from jockey Tyler Gaffalione on Saturday. More typically a stalker, Tumbarumba showed good gate speed and was allowed to race nearly abreast of pacesetting Most Wanted through honest splits of 22.68 and 45.26. The two cornered for home together, Most Wanted holding a most tenuous advantage to the three-sixteenths marker, but when Gaffalione got to serious work on Tumbarumba his mount drew even with Most Wanted at the eighth pole. Most Wanted briefly battled back, but Tumbarumba had taken his measure, pushing out to win by three-quarters of a length.
“He’s as honest as they come, a lot of fun to ride,” Gaffalione said.
California shipper Indispensable got a good setup and threatened to make a race of things at the furlong grounds before flattening out slightly and settling for third, 1 1/2 lengths behind 1-5 shot Most Wanted. Who Dey finished fourth, Three Technique – winner of the 2024 Ack Ack – fifth, Will Take It a disappointing sixth after a tough start, and Surly Furious last. This Is Uscar was scratched.
Tumbarumba ran the one-turn mile in 1:35.44 (93 Beyer Speed Figure) and paid $15.68 to win. Brian Lynch trains Tumbarumba, a son of Oscar Performance and Naïve Enough, by Street Sense, for Wathnan Racing. Tumbarumba was bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farm.
Tumbarumba, winning for the seventh time, turned in a good performance landing fourth in the BC Dirt Mile a year ago, and this Ack Ack was better than his 2024. Tumbarumba has recovered from his case of seconditis. He’s on a two-race winning streak now.
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