Red Mile: Amigo Volo says adios to his rivals in Kentucky Futurity

Amigo Volo secured the two-hole from the pole position, angled out on the last turn, took over control beyond three-quarters, and went on to take Sunday afternoon's $444,000 Kentucky Futurity for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters at The Red Mile in 1:51.

Driven by Dexter Dunn in the field of 12, Amigo Volo hustled away from the gate, but Beads (Brian Sears) left stoutly from post ten and was able to get to the point before the 27 second opening quarter. Following behind Beads and Amigo Volo were EL Ideal (Andy Miller), race favorite Back Of The Neck (Scott Zeron), Gangster Hanover (Ake Svanstedt), who got down to the cones in the second quarter after being two-wide around the first turn, and second choice Ready For Moni (Yannick Gingras), who started from a trailing post 11.

It looked like Dunn and Amigo Volo might move to the outside from the pocket in the backstretch, but Beads drove on, so Dunn elected to sit instead, and he remained on the rail as Beads flashed through the half in a demanding 54 2/5. Back Of The Neck then took up the chase first-up from fourth, with Gangster Hanover coming out and gapping from second-over, hurting the chances of a third-over Ready For Moni. Back Of The Neck advanced steadily on the rim after coming out, but then he made a break in-stride, which allowed Amigo Volo to slide out prior to the 1:22 3/5 three-quarters.

Beads could not withstand Amigo Volo's bid and eventually broke, leaving Amigo Volo on a loose lead over EL Ideal, and it remained that way to the wire as Amigo Volo tallied by two lengths. Third Shift (Joe Bongiorno) closed from eighth to third in the final quarter, with Chestnut Hill (David Miller) up for fourth, and King Alphonso (Tim Tetrick) checking in fifth.

"He has performed really good here. Obviously last year he won both weeks and he was really good here last week (a second to Back Of The Neck in a Bluegrass division), he was probably just a little bit short," said Dunn. "Nifty (trainer Nifty Norman) knew he was going to be better today, and he was.

"I did actually attempt to come. I came out for a little bit when we hit the backstraight, but Beads was a little aggressive and took off, so I dove back in the two-hole there. Back Of The Neck came up outside of us around the last turn, and I was sort of 50-50 whether I'd come out or stay in, and he ran. It was probably a lucky trip there around the last turn and got out, but the horse did a great job."

Pinske Stables, who also co-own Kentucky Filly Futurity champion Love A Good Story, and David J. Miller own the Nifty Norman-trained Amigo Volo. From 24 career tries, Amigo Volo now has a record of 12-3-2, and he has pocketed $1,206,369. He was the 4-1 third choice and returned $10.00 to win.

"Last year he used to shake his head bad, and it cost him a couple times. He's got right out of doing that this year," Dunn added about Amigo Volo's development from 2019 to 2020. "He didn't have his good form when he came back as a 3-year-old. He was a bit average. We were probably looking after him a little bit too much. He just likes to race. You get off the gate hard, and that's when he gets excited, and he puts in good performances."