Zozos, Three Technique Battle in Ack Ack for BC Berth

As the field turns for home in the Sept. 30 Ack Ack Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, the stage will be set for two favorites—one on the lead and the other trying to catch him.

The headlining duo for the $400,000 Ack Ack are Zozos  and Three Technique , two formidable foes, either of which could secure an automatic berth to the Nov. 4 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile (G1) with a victory.

Barry and Joni Butzow's Zozos, a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender last year who's flourished in his 4-year-old campaign for trainer Brad Cox, will be the likely pacesetter in Saturday's mile contest. Twice a stakes winner over the mile distance in the Knicks Go Overnight and Hanshin Cup, the Munnings   colt then weakened to finish fourth after setting the early pace in the Aug. 19 Philip Iselin Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park.

Zozos will break from the 5-hole in the field of 7 with jockey Florent Geroux retaining the mount.

Looking to run down Zozos will be David Miller, Eric Grindley, and John Werner's Three Technique. The 6-year-old Mr. Speaker gelding, a stakes winner over the Churchill course, was third in this race last year to Senor Buscador. He then made a belated rally to finish a respectable sixth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Entering the Ack Ack off the performance of his career when capturing the John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park July 1, Three Technique comes into the race a fresh and rested horse, as he's been unraced since that 3 3/4-length triumph.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano Saturday, the Jason Cook trainee threw down a :59 1/5 five-furlong blowout Sept. 24 at the Louisville oval.

Fan favorite O Besos , stretching back out two turns for the first time since February 2022, and upset R.A. Cowboy Jones Stakes victor Stage Raider  are also among the top contenders.

One race earlier, the Cherie DVaux-trained More Than Looks  appears to be the class of the field in the $200,000 Jefferson Cup Stakes. Staged over 1 1/16 miles on the turf for 3-year-olds, the Jefferson could very well be the prime spot for More Than Looks to rebound from his third-place effort last time out in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) Aug. 11 at Saratoga.

The 3-year-old son of More Than Ready, campaigned by Victory Racing Partners, closed from off the pace to take the Manila Stakes (G3T) two starts back.

Another interesting challenger in the Jefferson is Sean O'Brien's Ocean Pointe . The Kitten's Joy gelding, trained by Richard Estavanko, aired an allowance field at Churchill by seven lengths Sept. 2.