by Ray Cotolo, for Red Mile

Lexington, KY — Setting the world record for 3-year-old trotting colts of 1:50 when winning at the Meadowlands earlier this year, Six Pack lowered his mark with a 1:49.1 performance and swept the 126th Kentucky Futurity, sponsored by Hunterton Farms, Stoner Manor Inc. and Menhammer Stuteri Ab, on Sunday (Oct. 7) at Red Mile.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Six Pack wins the Kentucky Futurity in a world record 1:49.1.

Trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt got off the gate third behind Crystal Fashion leading the field and Met’s Hall occupying the pocket. Svanstedt tipped the Muscle Mass colt off the rail past a :27.1 opening quarter, cleared control, and kept the pace hot through a :54.4 half.

Six Pack’s margin grew moving around the final turn as he passed three-quarters in 1:21.2 ahead of Crystal Fashion and Met’s Hall chasing behind. Svanstedt urged his colt through the stretch and darted to the finish while Crystal Fashion narrowed on the leader a touch towards the outside in second. Met’s Hall settled for third ahead of You Know You Do fourth.

When asked if Six Pack was the best horse he ever trained, Svanstedt said “no.”

“Today, he was the best horse,” said Svanstedt, who also trained and drove Ice Attraction and Plunge Blue Chip to world records on the Sunday card.

Winning his ninth race from 12 starts this season and his 13th from 20 overall, Six Pack exceeded $1 million in earnings for owners Ake Svanstedt Inc., Little E LLC, Stall Kalmar Ff and Lars Berg. He paid $4.80 to win.

Six Pack also won his Futurity elimination after plowing past Met’s Hall in the stretch and holding off a late charge from Fiftydallarbill to win in 1:50.2.

Met’s Hall led the field to the quarter in :28.2 while Six Pack tracked from the pocket ahead of Fiftydallarbill third. Zephyr Kronos, positioned fourth, edged off the rail heading to the half and flushed Six Pack first over past a :56 half.

Six Pack pressured Met’s Hall first-over around the final turn and continued to grind into the temposetter past three-quarters in 1:23.1. Met’s Hall eventually gave way through the stretch as Six Pack slid away on the lead while Fiftydallarbill, fanning wide from the rail, sprinted to the wire to take second. Met’s Hall settled for third with Patent Leather and Fashionwoodchopper, who scratched from the final, completing the top five.

Unhurried off the gate, Tactical Landing cruised to the lead heading to the half and coasted to a 1:50.2 win in the other elimination for the Kentucky Futurity.

You Know You Do cleared control into the first turn while Evaluate tried to get to the pylons in second wide of Eurobond parking him in third. Evaluate brushed to the top prior to a :27.3 first quarter and opted for the pocket after Tactical Landing progressed to the front heading to a :55.1 half.

Eurobond, positioned fourth, flushed first-over into the far turn tracked by 4-5 favorite Crystal Fashion. Matching strides with the tempo-setter by three-quarters in 1:23.3, Eurobond soon lost ground on Tactical Landing as the Muscle Hill colt kicked clear entering the eighth pole under a hand drive to win by open lengths. Eurobond held second from Crystal Fashion closing off cover in third while You Know You Do and Missile Hill rounded out the finalists.