# Ack Ack Stakes

The Ack Ack Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old and older, over a distance of one mile on the dirt held annually in September at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky. The event currently carries a purse of $300,000.

## History

The race is named for the great Ack Ack, inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Horse of the Year in 1971, as well as ranking number 44 in the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century. At age 3, he won the 1969 Derby Trial in his lone start at Churchill Downs with a time of 1:34.40, which was a track record at the time.
Since inception in 1991, the Ack Ack has been contested at three different distances:
* 1 mile : 1991, 2006–2009, 2012
* 7+1⁄2 furlongs : 1994–2005
* 1+1⁄16 miles : 2010, 2011 (Breeders' Cup)
The inaugural running of the event was on 27 October 1991 with Seven Spades the longest price runner in the field of 12 at 40-1 holding on to win by a neck in a time of 1:37.62 for the mile on the sloppy track.
The event was not held in 1992 and 1993.
Previously a Listed race, it was upgraded to Grade III status for 1997 by the American Graded Stakes Committee.
Sin 2013 the event has been scheduled in September and in 2016 the conditions of the event were changed from handicap to stakes allowance.

## Records

Speed record
* 1 mile: 1:33.78 – Pants On Fire (2013)
* 7+1⁄2 furlongs: 1:27.15 – Cappuchino (2003)
* 1+1⁄16 miles: 1:43.79 - Apart (2010)
Margins
* 8+3⁄4 lengths – Istan (2007)
Most wins
* No horse has won this race more than once.
Most wins by a jockey
* 4 – Calvin Borel (1996, 1998, 1999, 2004)
Most wins by a trainer
* 2 – Bobby C. Barnett (1996, 1999)
* 2 – William I. Mott (2001, 2007)
* 2 – Paul J. McGee (2002, 2009)
* 2 – Steven M. Asmussen (2008, 2015)
* 2 – Dallas Stewart (2016, 2018)
* 2 – Brad H. Cox (2021, 2023)
Most wins by an owner
* 2 – John A. Franks (1996, 1999)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| Ack Ack Stakes |||||||||||
| 2024 | Three Technique | 7 | Rafael Bejarano | Jason Cook | Eric Grindley, David E. Miller, Howard F. Preuss & John Werner | 1 mile | 1:35.32 | $365,000 | III | |
| 2023 | Zozos | 4 | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | Barry & Joni Butzow | 1 mile | 1:35.32 | $400,000 | III | |
| 2022 | Senor Buscador | 4 | Francisco Arrieta | Todd W. Fincher | Joe R. Peacock Jr. | 1 mile | 1:34.60 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2021 | Plainsman | 6 | Joel Rosario | Brad H. Cox | Shortleaf Stable | 1 mile | 1:33.85 | $297,250 | III | |
| 2020 | Mr. Money | 4 | Gabriel Saez | W. Bret Calhoun | Allied Racing Stable & Spendthrift Farm | 1 mile | 1:34.85 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2019 | Mr Freeze | 4 | Robby Albarado | Dale L. Romans | Jim Bakke & Gerald Isbister | 1 mile | 1:34.11 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2018 | Seeking the Soul | 5 | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Dallas Stewart | Charles E. Fipke | 1 mile | 1:35.01 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2017 | Awesome Slew | 4 | Corey J. Lanerie | Mark E. Casse | Live Oak Plantation | 1 mile | 1:35.02 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2016 | Tom's Ready | 3 | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Dallas Stewart | G M B Racing | 1 mile | 1:34.86 | $100,000 | III | |
| Ack Ack Handicap |||||||||||
| 2015 | Tapiture | 4 | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds | 1 mile | 1:35.39 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2014 | Bradester | 4 | Corey J. Lanerie | Eddie Kenneally | Joseph W. Sutton | 1 mile | 1:34.54 | $107,300 | III | |
| 2013 | Pants On Fire | 5 | Paco Lopez | Kelly J. Breen | Lori & George Hall | 1 mile | 1:33.78 | $110,700 | III | |
| 2012 | Neck 'n Neck | 3 | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Ian R. Wilkes | A. Stevens Miles Jr. | 1 mile | 1:36.38 | $110,400 | III | |
| 2011 | Mister Marti Gras | 3 | Julien R. Leparoux | Chris M. Block | Lothenbach Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.68 | $109,700 | III | |
| 2010 | Apart | 3 | Garrett K. Gomez | Albert Stall Jr. | Adele B. Dilschneider | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.79 | $108,600 | III | |
| 2009 | Demarcation | 5 | Jesus Lopez Castanon | Paul J. McGee | Amerman Racing | 1 mile | 1:36.15 | $111,000 | III | |
| 2008 | Magna Graduate | 6 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Steven M. Asmussen | Elizabeth H. Alexander | 1 mile | 1:36:06 | $108,200 | III | |
| 2007 | Istan | 5 | Kent J. Desormeaux | William I. Mott | Darpat S.L. Stables | 1 mile | 1:34.08 | $221,600 | III | |
| 2006 | It's No Joke | 4 | Robby Albarado | Rebecca Maker | Stanley E. Fulton | 1 mile | 1:34.77 | $232,800 | III | |
| 2005 | Straight Line | 3 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Harvey L. Vanier | Nancy A. Vanier & Cartwright Thoroughbreds | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:28.34 | $112,200 | III | |
| 2004 | Sir Cherokee | 4 | Calvin H. Borel | Michael A. Tomlinson | Domino Stud | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:29.48 | $165,300 | III | |
| 2003 | Cappuchino | 4 | Jon Court | Jerry Hollendorfer | Howard Litt, George Todaro, Jerry Hollendorfer | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:27.15 | $165,450 | III | |
| 2002 | Twilight Road | 5 | Pat Day | Paul J. McGee | Donamire Farm | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:29.39 | $112,700 | III | |
| 2001 | Illusioned | 3 | Pat Day | William I. Mott | Kinsman Stable, Team Valor & Heiligbrodt Stable | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:28.63 | $114,300 | III | |
| 2000 | Chindi | 6 | Timothy T. Doocy | Steve Hobby | Cres Ran | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:29.30 | $113,700 | III | |
| 1999 | Littlebitlively | 5 | Calvin H. Borel | Bobby C. Barnett | John A. Franks | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:28.97 | $115,600 | III | |
| 1998 | Distorted Humor | 5 | Calvin H. Borel | W. Elliott Walden | Russell L. Reineman & Prestonwood Farm | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:29.61 | $110,100 | III | |
| 1997 | Cat's Career | 4 | Willie Martinez | Lynn S. Whiting | Golden Eagle Farm | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:32.06 | $111,500 | III | |
| 1996 | Western Trader | 5 | Calvin H. Borel | Bobby C. Barnett | John A. Franks | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:29.84 | $113,400 | Listed | |
| 1995 | Mystery Storm | 3 | Carlos Gonzalez | Larry Robideaux Jr. | David Beard | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:29.10 | $116,400 | Listed | |
| 1994 | Lost Pan | 4 | Donna M. Barton | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm, D. Wayne Lukas & Jim McDonald | 7+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:30.27 | $84,300 | Listed | |
| 1992–1993 | 1992–1993 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1991 | Seven Spades | 4 | Danny W. Cox | C. Neil Huffman | Duane Clark | 1 mile | 1:37.60 | $59,250 | Listed | |