Red Mile: Field set for 134th Kentucky Futurity

The Red Mile drew the fields for its marquee events taking place on Saturday (Oct. 3), the 134th Kentucky Futurity and the 61st Kentucky Filly Futurity.

Presiding Judge Casey Larson and Race Secretary Tina Seekman conducted the draw during a luncheon at The Red Mile clubhouse for both races on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 30).

Trainer Marcus Melander landed six into the Kentucky Futurity including 2026 Hambletonian winner Apex, who looks to win in the last jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown after succumbing to defeat in the Canadian Trotting Classic at Woodbine Mohawk Park last Saturday (Sept. 26) to his stablemate Nix Nacken. The Kentucky Futurity will also be the first rematch for Apex with Big Ranger, whom he thwarted in a stretch-long sprint to win the Hambletonian in a stake-record 1:49 2/5 back on Aug. 8.

“[It didn’t affect me] so much,” Marcus Melander said on whether the Canadian Trotting Classic impacted his approach to the Futurity. “I had those six to enter and they all got in. I didn’t think Neighver Punt would get in but he got in. Apex trained good this morning. He came from Canada on Monday and so far he’s been good.”

Melander will also send American Power, Goodtimes champ Neighver Punt, Zephyr Kemp and last year’s Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Trot winner Spencer Hanover in the Kentucky Futurity.

“American Power’s been a great horse all year and made over a half-million this year,” Melander said. “He drew good. Neighver Punt raced good here in the Commonwealth and he might be right under the best ones, but he draws good and hopefully can pick up a check. Nix Nacken’s a good horse, but to go first over like that and win the [Canadian Trotting Classic], it was very impressive. Spencer Hanover’s been racing okay lately, but he’s had a couple of weeks between races so I think he’ll be okay on Saturday. Zephyr Kemp raced really well the last couple of starts here, but he drew the 10 hole so we’ll need a little bit of luck.”

Lucas Wallin, brother-in-law to Marcus Melander who won in the Kentucky Futurity at just 29 years old in 2022 with Rebuff, also has another shot at the Kentucky Futurity with Grade 1 Yonkers Trot champion Inexpressable, who stole the show in Lexington on Sept. 20 with a 1:49 3/5 romp in the $400,000 Kentucky Championship Series final for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

“He trained this morning and couldn’t be happier,” Wallin said of Inexpressable. “I learned a lot from [Rebuff], good things and bad things. He helped me a lot and I don’t know how much he did for my career, but I learned a lot of things.

“I always knew [Inexpressable] was a good horse,” Wallin also said, “but he usually doesn’t go more than he needs to. That mile was very impressive. I wasn’t surprised that he won it, but by the way he did it.”

Below is the field for the 134th Kentucky Futurity:

PP-Horse Name-Driver-Trainer

1-Nix Nacken-Marcus Melander

2-American Power-Marcus Melander

3-Ai-Ron Burke

4-Read The Room-Ake Svanstedt

5-Neighver Punt-Marcus Melander

6-Inexpressable-Lucas Wallin

7-Apex-Marcus Melander

8-Magic Punk-Ake Svanstedt

9-Big Ranger-Annette Lorentzon

10-Zephyr Kemp-Marcus Melander

11-Spencer Hanover-Marcus Melander

AE1-Captain Naughty-Petter Engblom

AE2-Lucchese-Rene Sejthen

Marcus Melander also sends three into the 61st Kentucky Filly Futurity including 2026 Hambletonian Oaks winner Nezuko Kamado S, who enters from a fourth-place finish in the $400,000 Kentucky Championship Series final for 3-year-old trotting fillies. She lost to She’s Moni, a Walner filly and one of four entrants into the race for trainer Nancy Takter alongside Madam Cheval, Leading Lady and Godusa.

“Madam Cheval drew well and she never does, and the other ones drew where they usually draw,” Takter said at the draw. “I trained them all this morning and they all trained really well, so I think it’s anyone’s game. It’s all going to be how the race sets up. She’s Moni was very impressive in her last start, but she drew the worst of the four fillies, so things are going to have to go her way a bit. But I’m really happy with everybody coming into it.”

Below is the updated field for the 61st Kentucky Filly Futurity after a redraw that took place later in the afternoon:

PP-Horse Name- Trainer

1-Godusa-Nancy Takter 

2-Nuance-Marcus Melande 

3-Madam Cheval-Nancy Takter 

4-Custom-Petter Engblom 

5-Frattina Diablo S-Ronald Best 

6-Carve-Noel Daley 

7-R Ro-John Butenschoen 

8-Nezuko Kamado S-Marcus Melande 

9-Leading Lady-Nancy Takter 

10-Setyoursightshigh-Marcus Melande 

11-She's Moni-Nancy Takter

The Kentucky Futurity is slated to be the last race on the Saturday card, which gets underway at 1 p.m. (EDT). The Saturday card will also feature Bluegrass divisions for sophomores of each sex and gait.

-edited release for Red Mile