Harness: New shooter joins the Road to the Hambletonian

Entering the G2 MGM Yonkers Trot on June 26, the name Inexpressable was hardly on the tip of the tongues of trotting enthusiasts thinking about major stakes races like the $1,000,000 G1 Hambletonian on August 8 at the Meadowlands. To some extent that has changed after the Lucas Wallin trainee was able to score the upset in impressive fashion over the Yonkers Raceway oval.

Racing at the unusual distance of 1 1/4 miles over the half-mile oval, Inexpressable and driver Tim Tetrick worked out a third-over trip. They were sitting sixth with an eighth of a mile to trot, not exactly ideal position on a track with a short stretch. Yet the colt exploded home with a 28 4/5 final quarter to storm past the leaders for the convincing victory.

"I thought we had a good shot," said Wallin. "Obviously, he made a break when we took him here a couple of weeks ago, but I don't think it was because of the track or the turn. For me, it looked like it was a wide-open race."

Wallin referenced a May 9 start in an overnight race at Yonkers where the situation was much different. For one the track was wet due to rain and additionally he had post one in what was his first start of the year, and that can be difficult making the quick turn under fire.

Prior to the Yonkers Trot, Wallin jumped in the bike to test drive Inexpressable at Harrah's Philadelphia, and the results were a very positive 1:53 score where he produced a sizzling 26 4/5 third quarter to get the job done by four lengths.

"I wanted to stretch him out a little bit and he's a little relaxed, so I raced him with an open bridle. He went right by them, but then when he cleared, he was just playing around. So, we added a pull-down bridle [in the Yonkers Trot]. I don't know if it mattered but it definitely didn't hurt him."

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Inexpressable certainly has the bloodlines to be a special horse. The son of Walner is the first foal out of Ineffable, and while she hardly excelled on the track with just a 1:53 3/5 mark and $94,735 earned, she's from a proven family. Just a generation in the rearview mirror for Inexpressable is his second dam Jolene Jolene, who produced $1.18 million winner Venerable in a coupling with Walner, $528K winner Crucial in a pairing with Father Patrick and $428K winner Voguish (Gimpanzee).

Bred by Menhammar Stuteri Ab and S R F Stable, Inexpressable was a $325,000 yearling purchase at the Lexington Selected Sale in 2024. He was lightly-raced as a 2-year-old and may finally be coming into his own according to Wallin.

"We only raced at The Red Mile, and he did good there, but then we turned him out. It feels like he's just getting stronger and stronger," said the trainer, who co-owns the colt with Karin Walter-Mommert.

The immediate schedule for Inexpressable likely includes a trip to the Meadowlands on July 11 for the Stanley Dancer Memorial and then perhaps a date on the first two Saturdays in August for the Hambletonian eliminations and final. Should he continue his run of success through the Hambletonian, Inexpressable would have a chance - with a victory in the Kentucky Futurity at The Red Mile - at becoming the first horse to win the Trotting Triple Crown since Marion Marauder in 2016.

"Let's go for the Triple Crown," said Wallin half-jokingly when asked about the Hambletonian. "I think he's a Hambo horse, but there are a lot of good colts out there, so it it's definitely tough. Right now he's probably not at the top of the ladder but anything can happen. But that's probably what we are aiming for."

For now, Wallin at the very least has a potential Hambletonian contender. More will certainly be revealed in the Stanley Dancer when he meets up with divisional leader Apex and many others hoping to win America's Trotting Classic.