Expert Pick of the Week: 2024 Ack Ack Stakes

Sep 26, 2024 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

A total of seven will go postward at Churchill Downs on Saturday in the $400,000 Ack Ack S. (G3). The winner of the event will receive an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 2.

Contested over a one-turn mile, the contest is led by the Brad Cox-trained Saudi Crown, who earned his biggest win to date in the 2023 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx. The four-year-old son of Always Dreaming has a class edge over his foes and looks imposing if he delivers his best effort in the tilt. He is the Expert Pick of the Week.

Saudi Crown compiled a 6-3-2-0 mark in 2023, which concluded with an unplaced showing in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita in November, and he has been sharp in three of his four attempts in 2024. The $240,000 juvenile purchase crushed his foes in the Louisiana S. (G3) at Fair Grounds to kick off his four-year-old campaign, which was followed by a close third in the lucrative Saudi Cup (G1) on Feb. 24.

#3 Saudi Crown takes them all the way in the G1 Pennsylvania Derby for trainer @bradcoxracing with @flothejock aboard! 👑

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/xBO71h9lnW

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 23, 2023

He was an uncharacteristic 12th in the subsequent Godolphin Mile (G2) at Meydan, but the colt came back in fine form in his return to the states when dominating stakes foes at Ellis Park in his latest venture. Saudi Crown was a sharp allowance victor in his lone prior run beneath the Twin Spires, and he shows a consistent string of morning drills in advance of this race, too. He has a fine outside post with the other speed in the cast to his inside, and I expect him to take a commanding lead at the top of the lane en route to a victory with Florent Geroux in the stirrups.

Tumbarumba is among the most attractive exotics contenders in the field for trainer Brian Lynch. By Oscar Performance, the gelding has finished first or second in seven of his last 10 tries in advance of this assignment, which includes an excellent runner-up showing in the Hanshin S. on the oval leading up to this one. The Cajun-bred four-year-old is talented and stubborn, and he also has a versatile running style that will come in handy against this group. He dons a solid 4-2-1-1 mark at Churchill and will never be far back while saving ground throughout under Luis Saez.

Expert Pick of the Week

An exacta with #7 Saudi Crown on top of #1 Tumbarumba in the Ack Ack Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.