Undefeated Beau Liam Searches for First Graded Stakes Score in Ack Ack

Sep 29, 2021

Stonestreet Stables’ undefeated homebred colt Beau Liam will attempt to notch his fourth-consecutive win against 10 rivals that entered Saturday’s 29^th running of the $300,000 Ack Ack (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

The one-mile Ack Ack, which serves as a prep for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) at Del Mar on Nov. 6, was carded as Race 10 with a post time of 5:26 p.m. First post is 12:45 p.m. The Ack Ack is part of a stakes doubleheader Saturday along with the $400,000 Lukas Classic (GIII) headlined by the nation’s top older horse Knicks Go.

Beau Liam began his career May 29 at Churchill Downs where he cruised to a maiden-breaking win by 7 ½ lengths in the six furlong dash. The son of Liam’s Map shipped north to Saratoga where he narrowly defeated first-level allowance company by a scant nose in a swift seven furlongs on July 17. Most recently, the bay colt easily defeated second-level allowance foes by six lengths in a second-level allowance at Saratoga. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Beau Liam will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. from post No. 10.

Among Beau Liam’s competition that entered the Ack Ack are several well-traveled graded stakes winners including Guest Suite, Mo Mosa, Mr Dumas, Plainsman, and Rushie.

The Ack Ack field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Exculpatory (Carol Cedeno, Mark Reid); Mo Mosa (Jose Lezcano, Mike Maker); Guest Suite (Emmanuel Esquivel, Cipriano Contreras); Ebben (Francisco Arrieta, Steve Margolis); Mr Dumas (Reylu Gutierrez, John Ortiz); Aloha West (Corey Lanerie, Wayne Catalano); Plainsman (Joel Rosario, Brad Cox); Atoka (Rafael Bejarano, D. Wayne Lukas); South Bend (James Graham, Bill Mott); Beau Liam (Hernandez, Asmussen); and Rushie (Javier Castellano, Michael McCarthy).

The Ack Ack is named in honor of the 1971 Horse of the Year, Ack Ack. The multiple champion sprinter won the 1969 Derby Trial when he covered one-mile in 1:34.40, which broke the track record at that time.