Bishop’s Bay engaged in an early battle with longshot Macho Music before fiercely holding off a late surge from Coal Battle to narrowly capture Saturday’s $399,000 Ack Ack (G3) by a head at Churchill Downs. The 6-year-old son of Uncle Mo completed the mile on a fast track in 1:34.51, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Brad Cox and owner Talal al Shuraym’s KAS Stables.
“We’re truly proud of his performance today,” said Cox, who later saddled Juddmonte homebred Dragoon Guard to victory in the Lukas Classic (G2). “Bishop’s Bay had to dig deep and fight hard. He’s an incredibly talented horse and proved it by getting the job done.”
Starting from post 4 in the one-turn mile, Bishop’s Bay broke sharply and withstood early pressure from the 54-1 outsider Macho Music as they clocked fast fractions of :22.92 and :45.51. Exerting control at the turn with a time of 1:09.82, Bishop’s Bay surged ahead to a two-length lead. Meanwhile, Coal Battle, a four-time stakes winner who had been fifth along the backstretch, charged wide in the stretch in an intense battle with three-time stakes winner Owen Almighty closing on the inside. Despite tiring, Bishop’s Bay fought valiantly and edged Coal Battle in a thrilling head-bob photo finish to secure the victory.
Coal Battle’s trainer Lonnie Briley commented, “He ran a tremendous race. Just before and just after the wire, his nose was down, showing how hard he ran.”
The winner’s purse of $242,280 pushed Bishop’s Bay’s career earnings to $2,875,080. He now holds a record of 11 wins, 5 seconds, and no thirds from 18 starts, with seven stakes victories including last year’s American Pharoah, Westchester (G3), Salvator Mile (G3), Forty Niner (G3), Cigar Mile (G2), and most recently, the Philip H. Iselin (G3) on August 15 at Monmouth Park.
Gaffalione, celebrating his fifth win of the day, said, “I hadn’t planned on leading, but he broke so sharply I had to keep up. Many challengers came up, but he fought back every one—it’s a testament to his class.”
Bishop’s Bay paid $7.68 as the third betting favorite at 5-2. Coal Battle finished second, a length ahead of Owen Almighty. The remaining finishers were East Avenue, favored Nu What’s New (2-1), Prince of Power, and Macho Music, with Arrowthegreat scratched.
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm LLC, Bishop’s Bay is out of Catch My Drift, a mare by Pioneerof the Nile.
This prestigious race honors the 1971 Horse of the Year Ack Ack, a Hall of Fame inductee who won the 1969 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs in a then-track record time of 1:34.40 for one mile.
Notably, ten of the last thirteen Ack Ack winners — including Pants On Fire (2013), Tapiture (2015), and Tumbarumba (2025) — have gone on to compete in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI), scheduled this year at Keeneland on October 31 over two turns.
Fan Take: Bishop’s Bay’s hard-fought victory highlights the incredible depth and competitiveness at the Grade 3 level, reinforcing its importance as a stepping stone to elite races like the Breeders’ Cup. For horse racing fans, this thrilling finish underscores why these events are so electrifying and why rising stars like Bishop’s Bay are crucial for the sport’s future excitement and growth.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
