Magna Graduate's Return Set in Ack Ack 'Cap

(from Churchill Downs reports)
Elisabeth Alexander's Magna Graduate, away from competition since the $6 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) in late March, returns to action against 13 rivals in the $200,000-added Emirates Airline Ack Ack Handicap (gr. III) on Saturday's Breeders' Cup World Championships undercard at Churchill Downs.

The Todd Pletcher-trained Magna Graduate, winner of the 2005 Clark Handicap (gr. II), has been installed as the 3-1 morning line odds in the Ack Ack, which is being run at the new distance of one mile. The race is one of two Churchill Downs stakes events that kick off the Breeders' Cup World Championship program along with the $200,000 Emirates Airline Very Subtle for fillies and mares at six furlongs. Post time for the Saturday's first race is 11:15 a.m. (EST).

A 4-year-old son of Honor Grades, Magna Graduate finished fourth to Electrocutionist in the Dubai World Cup, but was elevated to third following the disqualification of runner-up Brass Hat. He has a career record of 6-3-4 in 17 races and has earned $1,777,002. Jockey John Velazquez will ride Magna Graduate.

Leading Ack Ack contenders are Stan Fulton's It's No Joke (5-1), winner of the Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) for trainer Rebecca Maker last time out, and Nancy Vanier and Cartwright Thoroughbreds's Straight Line (6-1), who won the Ack Ack in 2005.

It's No Joke, a 4-year-old son of Distorted Humor  , has won four of six races this year and will be ridden by Robby Albarado. Straight Line, a Harvey Vanier-trained 4-year-old son of Boundary who is a two-time stakes winner at Churchill Downs, is scheduled to be ridden by jockey Shaun Bridgmohan.

Other contenders include Juddmonte Farms' homebred Latent Heat, a disappointing ninth for trainer Bobby Frankel in Keeneland's Perryville (gr. III); W. Wayne Hughes' Greeley's Galaxy, 11th in the 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I); and Peter Abruzzo and Peter Redekop's Cause to Believe, 13th to Barbaro in the 2006 Derby.

The Breeders' Cup card kicks off with the first running of the Very Subtle.

Robert Adams' Hot Storm, a four-time stakes winner in 2006, and Donald Dizney's Joint Effort, a 3-year-old filly who has never finished worse than second in seven starts at Churchill Downs, head a full field of 14 fillies and mares.

$200,000 Emirates Airline Very Subtle Stakes (Race 1, 11:15 a.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 6 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, ML Odds
1. Dixie Dreamer (FL), 116, Rodney A. Prescott, 20/1
2. Indian Flare (KY), 118, Rafael Bejarano, 6/1
3. Fiery Pursuit (KY), 116, Victor Espinoza, 15/1
4. Joint Effort (FL), 120, Edgar S. Prado, 5/1
5. Maryfield (ON), 118, Patrick A. Valenzuela, 8/1
6. Prospective Saint (KY), 122, Eddie Castro, 8/1
7. Morner (KY), 116, Javier Castellano, 10/1
8. Trippi Street (FL), 116, Robby Albarado, 10/1
9. High Heritage (KY), 116, Willie Martinez, 15/1
10. Annika Lass (FL), 118, Shaun Bridgmohan, 15/1
11. Maggie Slew (IN), 116, Julien R. Leparoux, 10/1
12. Hot Storm (FL), 120, Garrett K. Gomez, 4/1
13. True and True (FL), 116, Rene R. Douglas, 15/1
14. Humorous Gal (KY), 116, Calvin H. Borel, 15/1

$200,000 Emirates Airline Ack Ack Handicap (gr. III, Race 2, 11:45 a.m.), 3 & Up, 1 Mile
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, ML Odds
1. Irene's Mon (KY), 111, Julien R. Leparoux, 20/1
2. Latent Heat (KY), 111, Eddie Castro, 8/1
3. Awesome Twist (KY), 114, Edgar S. Prado, 8/1
4. Going Wild (KY), 114, Corey J. Lanerie, 15/1
5. Wiggins (IL), 114, Mark Guidry, 12/1
6. Level Playingfield (KY), 113, John McKee, 15/1
7. It's No Joke (KY), 119, Robby Albarado, 5/1
8. Straight Line (KY), 115, Shaun Bridgmohan, 6/1
9. Andromeda's Hero (KY), 115, Javier Castellano, 12/1
10. Magna Graduate (KY), 118, John R. Velazquez, 3/1
11. Papi Chullo (FL), 116, Cornelio H. Velasquez, 20/1
12. Greeley's Galaxy (KY), 115, Rafael Bejarano, 15/1
13. Southern Africa (KY), 115, Jon K. Court, 20/1
14. Cause to Believe (KY, 113, Victor Espinoza, 15/1