Neck ‘n Neck expertly lands the Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs
Trained by Ian R. Wilkes for owner A. Stevens Miles Jr., 3-year-old colt, Neck ‘n Neck over his favourite dirt course at Churchill Downs ran down, Fort Loudon, to post a convincing 2 ¼ length victory to land the Grade 3, $110,400 Ack Ack Handicap.
The colt by Flower Alley was facing older rivals for the first time, but showed enough maturity to edge all of them to down consecutive graded stakes victories. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., was settled back in the fray of Fort Loudon and the favoured, Dominus, who was sent at 7 to 5.
Todd Pletcher trained, Dominus, took the early lead and battled for the lead early on to carve fractions of 23.02 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 46.95 seconds for the half mile in the one mile race.
Turning for home, Dominus was able to keep his lead intact, but by then Neck ‘n Neck was in striking distance and was shifted wide to move in for the kill.
“He’s really turning into a great horse,” Hernandez said. “I actually took him a little further back going into the turn just so I could get outside. He was always there for me and when I called on him at the top of the lane he kind of spurted away from them. He seems to be getting better with each start.”
Out of Storm Boot’s mare Bootery, Neck ‘n Neck was exiting victory in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby over 1 1/16 miles at Hoosier Park, on 6 October, 2012, where he defeated the likes of, Bourbon Courage in second and Fed Biz in third, while covering the distance in 1 minute and 42.71 seconds.
Bred in Kentucky, Neck ‘n Neck posted his first victory of the season in an allowance race at Churchill Downs, also over 1 1/16 miles in May, and in June he went on to register his first graded stakes victory when he landed the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs.
He defeated Stealcase in second and Macho Macho in third. At Saratoga, in his very next start he finished second to Alpha in the Garde 2 Jim Dandy Stakes, and then sixth in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes.
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