Churchill Downs hosts the 11th edition of the Grade 2 Lukas Classic

This Saturday, Churchill Downs will host an exciting card featuring the 11th edition of the Grade 2, $500,000 Lukas Classic, topped by Gary and Mary West's homebred Hit Show. He leads a competitive field of eight older horses. The Lukas Classic, honouring Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, is scheduled as race 10 at 10:40 p.m. EDT, following a 6 p.m. start to the 11-race program.

Trained by Brad Cox, Hit Show recently placed fifth in the 2023 Kentucky Derby, finishing 6 1/4 lengths behind Mage. Earlier in the season, he triumphed in the Withers Stakes (G3) by 5 1/2 lengths. After a fifth in the Jim Dandy (G2) and a sixth in the Oklahoma Derby (G3), Hit Show had some time off before returning as a 4-year-old, securing a 2 1/4-length win in an allowance at Churchill Downs. He comes into the Lukas Classic after a hard-fought half-length victory in the West Virginia Governor’s Cup (G3) at Mountaineer. Florent Géroux will ride Hit Show from post 6.

Among Hit Show's key competitors in the Lukas Classic are the Grade 3 winner and 2023 Travers (G1) runner-up Disarm, along with the eight-time winner and 2023 Stephen Foster (G1) runner-up Rattle N Roll.

In the Ack Ack, a win-and-you're-in race for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, talented 4-year-old Saudi Crown will lead a group of seven older horses. This race, which will be run as a one-turn mile under the lights, is set as race 8 at 9:39 p.m. EDT.

Owned by FMQ Stables and trained by Cox, Saudi Crown had a standout 2023 season with a victory in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and close seconds in both the Jim Dandy (G2) and the Dwyer. Following his 10th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic, he made a strong comeback as a 4-year-old, winning the Louisiana Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds and later finishing third in the Saudi Cup (G1) before placing 12th in the Godolphin Mile (G2) in Dubai. Since returning to North America in mid-August, he led wire-to-wire as the 3-5 favourite in the R.A. Cowboy Jones Stakes. Géroux will also ride Saudi Crown from post 7.

Rivaling Saudi Crown will be Cagliostro and Tumbarumba, who finished first and second, respectively, in the Hanshin Stakes at Churchill. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Cagliostro narrowly claimed victory over Tumbarumba by a length on June 30 and entered the Ack Ack after a troubled fourth-place finish in the Forego (G1) at Saratoga. José Ortiz will saddle Cagliostro from post 3.

Meanwhile, speedy Tumbarumba, trained by Brian Lynch, boasts a solid record with five wins, five seconds, and two-thirds in 15 races. The Louisiana-bred son of Oscar Performance finished just one length behind Cagliostro in the Hanshin and previously came within a nose of victory in the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) and lost by a long neck in the Ghostzapper Stakes (G3). Luis Sáez will ride Tumbarumba from the rail.