The 3-5 favorite set a pressured pace, albeit through very manageable early fractions of :23.69 and :47.10 going a one-turn mile beneath the Twin Spires. He let it out a notch as they straightened for home and held Justify (Scat Daddy)'s half-brother and 'Rising Star' Stage Raider (Pioneerof the Nile) safe by a length. Three Technique (Mr Speaker) completed the 'Rising Star' trifecta.

Zozos, a strong second at just third asking in the 2022 GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, reeled off three straight wins earlier this term, including the Knicks Go S. over this same track and trip May 6 and the Hanshin S. at Ellis Park July 2. He was a disappointing fourth as the heavy favorite going 1 1/16 miles around two turns in Monmouth's GIII Philip H. Iselin S. last time Aug. 19.

“I didn't think he would get away with that easy of an early lead,” winning trainer Brad Cox said. “I thought Florent (Geroux) did a good job to not let Caddo River (Hard Spun) get too close on his outside. He's run well this year and trained well out of his last race at Monmouth.”

Cox continued, “I think he's now a really good one-turn horse. We'll see who's going where in the Breeders' Cup and make a decision on his next start soon. I don't know what we'd do if we don't go to the Breeders' Cup, but we'll let this horse tell us what's next. It's a lot to ask of any horse to make the trip from Kentucky to California against some of the best horses in the world.”

Pedigree Notes:

Zozos becomes the 27th graded stakes winner for Munnings. Forestry is now the broodmare sire of 27 graded winners as well. The Butzows acquired the dam of Zozos for $57,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September and raced her to nine victories and eight minor placings from 32 starts for earnings north of $233,000. Papa's Forest had a colt by Candy Ride (Arg) in 2023 and was bred back to Jackie's Warrior.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
ACK ACK S.-GIII, $400,000, Churchill Downs, 9-30, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:35.32, ft.
1–ZOZOS, 121, c, 4, by Munnings
              1st Dam: Papa's Forest, by Forestry
              2nd Dam: Dixie Sue, by Dixieland Band
              3rd Dam: Barbara Sue, by Big Spruce
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Barry Butzow & Joni Butzow (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $242,280. Lifetime Record: 11-7-1-0, $882,688. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Stage Raider, 121, h, 5, Pioneerof the Nile–Stage Magic, by Ghostzapper. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($950,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-John D. Gunther; B-John D. Gunther (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $78,800.
3–Three Technique, 121, h, 6, Mr Speaker–Nite in Rome, by Harlan's Holiday. ($50,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $180,000 Ylg '18 FTKJUL; $47,000 RNA 4yo '21 KEENOV). O-Miller, David E., Grindley, Eric and Werner, John; B-Omega Farm LLC & Bally Breeders (KY); T-Jason G. Cook. $39,400.
Margins: 1, 1, 5 1/4. Odds: 0.77, 6.70, 4.25.
Also Ran: O Besos, Caddo River, Seize the Night, Skyro.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuelTV.

#5 ZOZOS wins the (G3) Ack Ack Stakes under @flothejock at @ChurchillDowns and earns his spot in the @BreedersCup Dirt Mile. This son of Munnings is trained by @bradcoxracing and owned and bred by Barry and Joni Butzow. #WAYI pic.twitter.com/r5nZeIAaVZ

— TVG (@TVG) September 30, 2023

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Away fairly for Francisco Arrieta, who earned the mount after working the colt locally, the 4-year-old was content to sit a trip just behind midfield while racing in the company of third favorite Untreated (Nyquist) and in the clear as longshot Surly Furious (Upstart) took them along through an opening couple of furlongs in :22.91. Given his cue entering the final 3 1/2 furlongs, Senor Buscador traveled ominously well three and four deep and launched his bid in earnest leaving the quarter pole.  Wide into the lane, he gathered up the pacesetter at the three-sixteenths, dueled into the final eighth of a mile with Injunction and got the better of that final-furlong tussle to score by a bit more than a length. Three Technique (Mr Speaker), winner of the Hanshin Cup S. over this course and distance July 4, was up late for third.

Favored Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) looked to veer to his left at the start and was locked away inside for the opening three-quarters of a mile before fading tamely late. Fulsome (Into Mischief) and Untreated proved no factor.

A handy allowance winner sprinting at Lone Star on his return to the races in July, Senor Buscador was a slow-starting eighth in the July 30 GII San Diego H., but was exiting a promising third to the improving Laurel River (Into Mischief) in the GII Pat O'Brien S. at Del Mar Aug. 27, in which Speaker's Corner disappointed as the 11-10 chalk.

The win was the first at the graded level for Arrieta and second for trainer Todd Fincher, who conditioned Senor Buscador's half-brother Runaway Ghost (Ghostzapper) to win the 2018 GIII Sunland Derby.

Pedigree Notes:

Senor Buscador is the 23rd graded winner for his Lane's End-based sire and one of four full stakes winners from as many to race for his New Mexico-bred dam, winner of 10 of her 15 career starts, including seven black-type races in the Desert Southwest. The winner's unraced broodmare sire, who stands in New Mexico, was a son of Fappiano and GI Kentucky Oaks victress Blush With Pride, the dam of broodmare of the year Better Than Honour and therefore granddam of back-to-back GI Belmont S. winners Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) and Jazil (Seeking the Gold). Rose's Desert is also responsible for the yearling filly Aye Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}), the weanling filly Rose A (Hard Spun) and visited Authentic this past season.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
ACK ACK S.-GIII, $300,000, Churchill Downs, 10-1, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:34.60, ft.
1–SENOR BUSCADOR, 121, c, 4, by Mineshaft
                1st Dam: Rose's Desert (MSW, $626,035), by Desert God
                2nd Dam: Miss Glen Rose, by Peaks and Valleys
                3rd Dam: Snippet, by Alysheba
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Joe R. Peacock, Jr.; B-Joe R
Peacock Sr. & Joe R Peacock Jr. (KY); T-Todd W. Fincher;
J-Francisco Arrieta. $180,350. Lifetime Record: 7-4-0-1,
$376,677. *1/2 to Sheriff Brown (Curlin), MSW, $506,421;
Our Iris Rose (Ghostzapper), SW, $255,580; Runaway Ghost
(Ghostzapper), GSW, $783,509. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Injunction, 121, g, 4, Skipshot–Valid Valencia, by
Northern Afleet. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-J & J Stables, LLC
& Nicholas Vaccarezza; B-Mikhail Yanakov (KY); T-Carlo
Vaccarezza. $58,500.
3–Three Technique, 121, h, 5, Mr Speaker–Nite in Rome, by
Harlan's Holiday. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($50,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV;
$180,000 Ylg '18 FTKJUL; $47,000 RNA 4yo '21 KEENOV).
O-David E. Miller; B-Omega Farm LLC & Bally Breeders (KY);
T-Jason G. Cook. $29,250.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3HF, NK. Odds: 6.18, 13.96, 9.85.
Also Ran: Surly Furious, Fulsome, Silver Prospector, Speaker's Corner, Untreated. Scratched: Mailman Money, Twilight Blue.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Santa Anita stages one of the four Breeders' Cup Challenge races on tap for Saturday, the GI Awesome Again S., a race used by future champion Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) as a springboard to GI Breeders' Cup Classic success back in 2018. Bob Baffert fields half of the eight starters as he looks for an eight renewal and third in succession. The charge is led by Country Grammer (Tonalist), whose two most important victories to date have come over 10 furlongs–the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita and G1 Dubai World Cup–but he has proven effective enough going this mile-and-an-eighth trip, with a record of 2-2-0 from four starts. The 5-year-old, a millionaire 11 times over courtesy of two big performances in the desert this winter, looks to bounce back from runner-up efforts behind the re-opposing Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman) in the GII San Diego H. July 30 and when finishing in area code 213 behind 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) in the GI TVG Pacific Classic Sept. 3.

Meanwhile, on the Eastern seaboard–which was expecting the arrival of the remnants of Hurricane Ian late Friday–'Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) revs up for his Breeders' Cup engagement as the overwhelming favorite in a field of five for the GI Woodward S.

Fourth to Country Grammer after failing to see out the 'stiff' 10 furlongs of the G1 Dubai World Cup, the 4-year-old has been nothing but brilliant since, with big-figure victories in the GII John A. Nerud S.–speaking of the Breeders' Cup–and last time in the GI Whitney S. at Saratoga.

“He's an extremely talented horse,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, whose previous Woodward winners include Lawyer Ron, Quality Road and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile victor Liam's Map. “We just always hope that everything goes according to plan. It doesn't ever surprise me, but it is just remarkable how consistent he's been every single day he's out there. Every breeze is impressive and that's just what we've come to expect of him.”

The third of the Classic preps takes place at Churchill Downs, where the most competitive of the three fields heads postward in the GII Lukas Classic S. Favored at 8-5 on the morning line is the hard-knocking Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), but he'll be made to work for it by last year's Woodward winner and recent GII Charles Town Classic repeater Art Collector (Bernardini), GI Met Mile and Whitney runner-up Happy Saver (Super Saver) and Rich Strike (Keen Ice), who would become the first GI Kentucky Derby winner to succeed beneath the Twin Spires since Silver Charm took the 1998 GII Clark H. a year after being draped with the roses.

The Lukas Classic has been added to NBC's coverage of Saturday's preps.

Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), who'll go up the road to Churchill Downs on Saturday for the G2 Lukas Classic. He's the 8/5 morning line favorite, above Art Collector (2/1), Happy Saver (5/2), and Rich Strike (6/1). pic.twitter.com/eH7JZgQ0Vk

— Frances J Karon (@francesjkaron) September 29, 2022

Dirt Mile Berth Up for Grabs In Ack Ack…

Godolphin's Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) has the rail and is the even-money favorite for the one-mile GIII Ack Ack S. at Churchill Downs, with a trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile awaiting the winner.

For the first four months of this year, the homebred looked like he might develop into one of the top horses in training, as he capped a three-race winning skein with a good-looking 4 1/2-length tally in the GI Carter H. at Aqueduct in April, good for a 114 Beyer. It's been anything but plain sailing since. Best-backed against Flightline in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Met Mile June 11, he faded to third after setting the early pace and also had the misfortune of running into Life Is Good in the Nerud, finishing a distant runner-up. With Cody's Wish (Curlin) representing Godolphin in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga the same afternoon, Speaker's Corner was shipped to Del Mar for the Aug. 27 GII Pat O'Brien S. and never looked likely, dropping away to be fourth behind the impressive Laurel River (Into Mischief).

Juddmonte's Fulsome (Into Mischief), winner of this year's GIII Oaklawn Mile going a two-turn configuration and victorious in this track's GIII Matt Winn S. last year, and the class-dropping Untreated (Nyquist)–perfect in three tries going a mile, albeit against softer–could make life difficult on the rail-drawn favorite.

Juveniles Share The Spotlight at BAQ…

The Belmont at the Big A meet plays host to the afternoon's other 'Win and You're In' tests–the GI Champagne S. for 2-year-old males going the one-turn mile and the GII Miss Grillo S. for juvenile grass fillies.

Despite his relative inexperience, Verifying (Justify) will take plenty of beating while stepping into stakes company for the first time. A $775,000 Keeneland September purchase, the May-foaled half-brother to champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) ran to 3-4 favoritism in the Travers Day opener at Saratoga, scoring by a widening 1 3/4 lengths, and looks to have trained on since the debut.

Trainer Brad Cox has yet to saddle a Champagne winner and believes his charge will be prominent in the run Saturday.

“I want to be up close, but he doesn't necessarily have to be on the lead,” Cox said. “He has enough natural speed going a mile that he's going to be in the mix. He's a good-looking horse. Based on pedigree and how he looks, I think he'll like more ground.”

A pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' figure to make their presence known as well. Gulfport (Uncle Mo), whose sire won the 2010 Champagne en route to a GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile victory and an Eclipse Award, romped by better than a dozen lengths in the  July 4 Bashford Manor S. and has since finished runner-up in the GII Saratoga Special S. and GI Hopeful S. New York-bred Andiamo a Firenze (Speightstown), a homebred half-brother to 2017 Champagne hero Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior), was fractionally disappointing when third in the GIII Sanford S. upstate July 16, but bounced back with a smooth success in the state-bred restricted Funny Cide S. Aug 26 over the same sloppy underfoot conditions he's likely to encounter Saturday.

'Rising Star' Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) looks to remain perfect in three starts in the Miss Grillo, a race likely to test the field's collective ability to handle a fair bit of cut in the ground depending on what mood Ian is in.

“She fits great in this spot,” trainer Horacio De Paz said. “She's won twice and going long, so the distance shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully the weather stays together and we don't get a lot of rain, but even if we did get some rain, she's a horse that likes turf with a little give as well. Everything is very positive for her. She overcomes things.”

The field of six also includes Free Look (Tapit), a late-on-the-scene third to Be Your Best on July 31 debut ahead of a much-the-best score Sept. 4. Alluring Angel (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) won on Saratoga sprint debut for the always-dangerous Jorge Abreu barn Aug. 4 and stretches out off a stinging nose defeat in the Sept. 13 Untapable S. at Kentucky Downs.

'Kingdom' Comes Back in SA Sprint Championship…

In 2019, Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella brought Omaha Beach (War Front) back off an April layoff and a missed chance in the GI Kentucky Derby to score impressively in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship S., then a Grade I. The conditioner looks for lightning to strike twice Saturday when the very talented Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) makes his much-anticipated return to action.

A $300,000 purchase out of the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, the chestnut son of the gifted Just Louise (Five Star Day) wired this track's GII San Vicente S. Jan. 29 and proved he could handle two-turns with a blowout win in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 5. But it all came undone in the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 9, as he dropped away to finished tailed off in last behind 'Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) and hasn't been seen since.

“Richard is a such a great caretaker and he's given him plenty of time and let him get back to the horse that we know he is,” Spendthrift's Ned Toffey told TDN's Steve Sherack recently for his APB series. “We know he's fast. We know he's talented. It's just been a frustrating year.”

Forbidden Kingdom faces a field that includes C Z Rocket (City Zip), winner of this race in 2020 and third in defense of his title last year; and the progressive Kid Corleone (Shackleford), who tries graded company for the first time.

We're not the only ones excited for Opening Weekend!

Forbidden Kingdom had his final work this morning in preparation for the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, covering three furlongs in a sharp 36.60 seconds over the @santaanitapark main track. pic.twitter.com/3RL9HYkmca

— MyRacehorse (@MyRacehorse) September 28, 2022

Elsewhere On Saturday…

The final two legs of the Florida Stallion Stakes–the In Reality S. and My Dear Girl S. are set for Gulfstream Park; a five-stakes program at Laurel Park includes the Selima S. and Laurel Futurity for the 2-year-olds; and Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca) tries to make it five-for-five ahead of a possible Breeders' Cup appearance in the Iowa Cradle S. at Prairie Meadows.

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The homebred turned in a freakish effort on debut, sitting off a quick pace, cruising past the front-runners under a hold and scampering home by 7 1/2 lengths en route to his 'Rising Star'. The bay was never given a breather in a loaded first-level Saratoga allowance July 17, but battled on bravely to best the talented Witsel (Nyquist) by a nose and backed that up with a six-length success in an Aug. 29 allowance at the Spa. He stretches out to Churchill's one-turn mile Saturday, the same course and distance over which his dam Belle of Perintown (Dehere) won the 2002 Pocahontas S.

Rushie ran with credit along the Triple Crown trail in 2020, finishing third in the GI Santa Anita Derby in early June and in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. the following month before striking from just off the pace in the GII Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard Sept. 5. Seventh to Knicks Go (Paynter) in the Dirt Mile, he has yet to get his picture taken in four tries this term, but has run well, including placings in the Apr. 10 Oaklawn Mile and in the GII Charles Town Classic Aug. 27 over a nine-furlong trip that is beyond his best.

South Bend (Algorithms) has taken just one of his last 16 starts, but he is unbeaten in two outings around one turn beneath the Twin Spires, having graduated at first asking over six furlongs before adding the Street Sense S. at the track and distance in 2019. He returns to the dirt off unplaced efforts on the turf at Saratoga in August and last month at Kentucky Downs.

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The 7-year-old, trained by Dallas Stewart for Gayle and Tom Benson’s GMB Racing, was runner-up in the GIII Lecomte S. and GII Louisiana Derby in 2015, but cut back to one turn to win the GII Woody Stephens S. over seven furlongs and the GIII Ack Ack S. going a mile that season. Winner of the GIII Bold Ruler H. in 2016, the Pennsylvania-bred originally entered stud at Spendthrift and was later relocated to Red River Farms in Louisiana.

“It gives us great pleasure to have our wonderful Tom’s Ready retire to Old Friends,” Gayle Benson said. “He was our first purchase, he is a Grade II winner, and he raced in the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup, so we are very proud of him and he is deserving of the great care that Old Friends will provide.”

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