Mr. Money Back on Top in Ack Ack

LOUISVILLE, KY – Allied Racing Stable and Spendthrift Farm’s Mr. Money put himself back on top after surging up the rail to win Saturday’s $100,000 Ack Ack Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

Mr. Money was the 6/1 third choice in the 12-horse field as he broke from post 5 under Gabriel Saez and settled into a close stalking position.

The 6/5 favorite Warrior’s Charge broke on top from the rail and held a narrow advantage over American Anthem while posting opening fractions of :22.61 and :44.85.

Still sitting in the pocket trip behind the leaders as they straightened for home, Mr. Money found an opening between Warrior’s Charge and the rail and slipped through.

Kept to task the length of the long stretch drive home, the Bret Calhoun trainee crossed 1 1/4 lengths clear while completing the fast dirt mile event in 1:34.85.

“We sat a perfect trip,” Saez said. “This horse hasn’t had things go his way this year and showed us the real Mr. Money today.”

Bourbon Calling and Thirstforlife rallied from the rear of the field to take second and third, respectively, with only a nose separating them. Dinar was a 1/2-length back in fourth, with the same gap back to Ebben, himself a neck ahead of Pioneer Spirit.

Bankit, Warrior’s Charge, Everfast, Alkhaatam, Home Base, and American Anthem completed the order of finish.

Proverb was scratched.

Mr. Money’s win was his first in 5 starts this year and ended a 7-race cold streak that began after he won 4 straight Grade 3 events last summer. The 4-year-old Goldencents colt improved his record to 17-6-3-0 with $1,360,430 earned.

“Gabe worked out a perfect trip on him,” Calhoun said. “I thought his last few tries weren’t a fair assessment of who this horse is. He showed us who he was today. He loves this track and got to run out of his own stall.”

Mr. Money returned $14.80 to win, $8.40 to place, and $5.80 to show. Bourbon Calling brought back $12 to place and $8.60 to show, while Thirstforlife paid $14.40 to show.