Lexington, KY — 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 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 got 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 race, 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 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:
Race 13-$575,000 134th Kentucky Futurity
PP-Horse Name-Driver-Trainer
1-Nix Nacken-Bjorn Goop-Marcus Melander
2-American Power-James MacDonald-Marcus Melander
3-Ai-Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-Ron Burke
4-Read The Room-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt
5-Neighver Punt-Orjan Kihlstrom-Marcus Melander
6-Inexpressable-Scott Zeron-Lucas Wallin
7-Apex-Dexter Dunn-Marcus Melander
8-Magic Punk-Yannick Gingras-Ake Svanstedt
9-Big Ranger-Tim Tetrick-Annette Lorentzon
10-Zephyr Kemp-Todd McCarthy-Marcus Melander
11-Spencer Hanover-Jason Bartlett-Marcus Melander
AE1-Captain Naughty-Yannick Gingras-Petter Engblom
AE2-Lucchese-Joe Bongiorno-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 field for the 61st Kentucky Filly Futurity:
Race 12-$300,000 61st Kentucky Filly Futurity
PP-Horse Name-Driver-Trainer
1-Godusa-Todd McCarthy-Nancy Takter
2-Nuance-James MacDonald-Marcus Melander
3-Madam Cheval-Tim Tetrick-Nancy Takter
4-Custom-Jason Bartlett-Petter Engblom
5-Frattina Diablo S-Todd McCarthy-Ronald Best
6-Carve-Andrew McCarthy-Noel Daley
7-R Ro-Todd McCarthy-John Butenschoen
8-Nezuko Kamado S-Scott Zeron-Marcus Melander
9-Leading Lady-Joe Bongiorno-Nancy Takter
10-Setyoursightshigh-Dexter Dunn-Marcus Melander
11-She’s Moni-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Takter
AE1-Busy Miss Lissy S-Dexter Dunn-Ake Svanstedt
AE2-Decreed-Dexter Dunn-Carter Pinske
The Saturday card gets underway at 1 p.m. (EDT) and will also feature Bluegrass divisions for sophomores of each sex and gait.