The Ack Ack – Grade III brings eight runners to Churchill Downs on Saturday, September 26, 2026, for one mile on dirt and a purse of $400.000. The race has been contested at a mile for most of its history, with Distant Breeze(1) winning the 2025 edition for The Sidley Stud in 1:34.11. Distant Breeze(1) does not return, but The Sidley Stud has another opportunity with Berlin. Nakamura Stables, which won this race with Four Minute Man(1) in 2011, High Five Prince(1) in 2017 and Hollywood Eclipse(1) in 2021, sends out Classic Look. Mb Stables, winner with Cactus Candy(1) in 2013, is represented by both Obi Wan and Stumble. The current edition is open to three-year-olds and upward, with three-year-olds carrying 121 pounds and older runners 124.

1. Berlin — The Sidley Stud / Corrales G

Projected Odds: 9-2

Berlin brings extensive graded-stakes experience into the Ack Ack and has spent much of 2026 competing beyond Saturday’s one-mile distance. The eight-year-old owns 13 victories from 44 starts and has been particularly accomplished in route races, winning 10 of 34. This season he has one victory, three seconds and a third from nine starts. His recent form includes a second in the 1 1/16-mile Seagram Cup-G3, a fifth in the 1 1/8-mile CT Classic-G2 and earlier a head loss in the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special-G3. He also has demonstrated the ability to race close to the pace, including leading much of the Eclipse-G2 before finishing second. The reduction to one mile is noteworthy given that most of his recent racing has come farther, but his overall class gives him a legitimate chance. The Sidley Stud trains/owns, with Corrales G listed to ride.

2. Cherokee Monster — TwinTowersRacing / Rispoli U

Projected Odds: 8-1

Cherokee Monster is the lone three-year-old in the field and arrives after spending much of his season against some of the strongest members of his age group. He won the 1 1/8-mile Ohio Derby-G3 in June, finished fourth in the Haskell-G1 and most recently was fifth in the 1 1/4-mile Travers-G1. His record stands at three wins from 13 starts, with two wins from 11 route appearances. Those races establish his ability to compete in graded company, although Saturday asks him to shorten considerably from his recent assignments. At 121 pounds he receives three pounds from every older horse in the field. TwinTowersRacing is owner/trainer and Rispoli U is the probable jockey. His graded-stakes credentials make him dangerous, but the one-mile configuration presents a different test from the longer races in which he has recently been competing.

3. Run Champ Run — Gdp Inc / Rosario J

Projected Odds: 20-1

Run Champ Run enters with two victories from nine lifetime starts and is making a substantial class rise from his most recent appearance, a front-running victory in a $20.000 N2L claiming race at seven furlongs. He has made three route starts without a victory, with his recent route efforts including fifth at one mile at BTP and seventh at 1 1/16 miles at Tampa. His lone prior graded appearance shown in the past performances came in the Tokyo City Cup-G3 last October, where he finished seventh. The encouraging element is his demonstrated early speed, which could put him prominently into the developing pace, but this is a much more demanding field than the one he defeated at Saratoga. Gdp Inc is the owner/trainer, and Rosario J is listed to ride. He looks like one of the potential pace influences, but he will need to establish that his recent improvement transfers to Grade III company.

4. Classic Look — Nakamura Stables / Da Silva F H

Projected Odds: 5-2

Classic Look gets the narrow preference. The five-year-old owns eight victories from 34 starts, and all eight have come in route races. His strongest recent performance was a victory in the 1 1/8-mile MTH Cup-G3 on July 18, when he advanced from fourth to second before taking the race by a head. He subsequently stepped into the Pacific Classic-G1 at 1 1/4 miles and finished fifth. Earlier this year he was fourth in both the Pimlico Special-G3 and Ali-G3. His recent preparation is particularly conspicuous: four consecutive longer works, including 1:10.1 for six furlongs on September 20, fastest of 56, and 1:10 for six furlongs on September 16, fastest of 19. Nakamura Stables, already a three-time winner of the Ack Ack, owns/trains Classic Look, while Da Silva F H has the assignment. The mile is shorter than his recent races, but his graded form, current preparation and ability to make a sustained advance give him a strong winning chance.

5. Obi Wan — Mb Stables / Zayas E J

Projected Odds: 3-1

Obi Wan may be the most obvious direct one-mile threat. He owns five victories from 20 starts and has repeatedly competed successfully at Saturday’s distance. He finished second in the Gulfstream Park Mile-G3 in February, third in the Oaklawn Mile-G3, third in the Westchester-G3 and then third in the Met Handicap-G1 at one mile. He followed those performances by winning the 1 1/16-mile San Diego Handicap-G2 before finishing seventh when shortened to seven furlongs in the Forego-G1. His running lines show considerable tactical flexibility: he has led, raced just behind the leader and made forward moves from farther back. A return to a mile therefore fits his demonstrated record particularly well. Mb Stables owns/trains and Zayas E J is the probable rider. With proven Grade I one-mile competitiveness and a Grade II victory this summer, Obi Wan is the principal danger to Classic Look.

6. Heavy Current — Lanfranco Stable / Rodriguez A R

Projected Odds: 6-1

Heavy Current is the lightly raced wildcard. The five-year-old has won four of nine lifetime starts and two of three in 2026. His latest race produced a victory at seven furlongs at Parx, where he sat third through the opening stages, moved into the lead at the next call and won by a length. Earlier he won a 5 1/2-furlong allowance at Turfway and finished fourth in a turf allowance at Keeneland. What he lacks is route experience: the past performances show no route starts, making the Ack Ack his first attempt at this distance category. His preparation suggests stamina has been emphasized, with four consecutive six-furlong works, including three listed as fastest of their respective sets. Lanfranco Stable is the owner/trainer and Rodriguez A R is listed to ride. Heavy Current has enough current form to be taken seriously, but whether his effectiveness carries from sprinting to a mile is the central question.

7. Stumble — Mb Stables / Beschizza A

Projected Odds: 7-2

Stumble has a compelling one-mile piece of form: on June 28 at Churchill Downs he rallied from eighth and finished second by a head in the Hanshin-G3 at exactly Saturday’s distance. That came immediately after a victory in the 1 1/16-mile Eclipse-G2. He owns seven victories from 22 starts and has won five of 11 route races. His two subsequent sprint appearances were less successful, producing seventh-place finishes in both the Crosby-G1 and O’Brien-G2. The return to a route therefore brings him back to the type of racing in which he has enjoyed much of his success. Mb Stables owns/trains Stumble, with Beschizza A named to ride. His combination of a graded route victory and a head loss over this exact Churchill mile makes him one of the strongest win candidates in the field.

8. Gold — Spankys Barn / Van Dyke D

Projected Odds: 10-1

Gold is another runner whose recent sprint results disguise useful route credentials. The six-year-old has six wins from 34 starts, including four victories from 14 route races. His best 2026 performance came in April when he rallied from fifth to win the seven-furlong Carter Handicap-G2. Since then he has finished tenth in the Churchill Downs-G1, third in the True North-G3, tenth in the Crosby-G1 and sixth in the O’Brien-G2. Before that sprint sequence, he finished fifth in the 1 1/16-mile Razorback Handicap-G3. His recent races show that he can race from off the early pace, something that could become useful if the Ack Ack develops competitively up front. Spankys Barn owns/trains, with Van Dyke D listed aboard. Gold needs to reverse his most recent results, but his prior graded victory and established route record keep him from being dismissed.

Pace Structure & Race Outlook

The pace has several moving pieces. Run Champ Run has repeatedly shown front-running speed and is the most obvious candidate to seek the early lead. Berlin has demonstrated that he can race on or very near the front, while Obi Wan has repeatedly occupied prominent early positions at a mile. Heavy Current has generally been effective sitting just behind the initial leaders rather than needing the lead himself.

That combination could produce an honest pace without necessarily becoming an extreme speed duel. The runners who appear particularly well positioned to benefit are Classic Look and Stumble, both of whom have demonstrated the ability to settle several positions behind the leaders and advance later. Obi Wan’s versatility gives him the option of staying close without being committed to setting the pace.

The distance is an important separator. Heavy Current has never raced a route, Cherokee Monster is shortening from a series of substantially longer races, and Run Champ Run is moving sharply upward in class. By contrast, Classic Look, Obi Wan and Stumble bring established graded route form, while Berlin supplies the deepest overall experience.

Projected Finish

1. Classic Look — 5-2
2. Obi Wan — 3-1
3. Stumble — 7-2
4. Berlin — 9-2

Projected Winner — Classic Look: The MTH Cup-G3 victory establishes current graded route ability, and his recent Churchill work pattern is exceptionally sharp. The anticipated pace should also allow him to employ the stalking/closing pattern that has already produced graded success.

Main Danger — Obi Wan: His repeated one-mile graded performances are difficult to overlook. He has finished second or third in four graded mile races this year, including the Met Handicap-G1, and owns a Grade II victory at 1 1/16 miles. He has perhaps the cleanest established one-mile profile in the field.

Best Value — Stumble: His head loss in the Hanshin-G3 came over the same one-mile Churchill configuration, and it followed a Grade II route victory. His two subsequent defeats came after being shortened to sprint distances. Returning to a mile could put him back into a considerably more suitable setting.

Live Longshot — Cherokee Monster: The three-year-old receives three pounds from the older horses and already owns a Grade III route victory along with competitive efforts in the Haskell-G1 and Travers-G1. The uncertainty is not class but the substantial cutback to one mile.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES