Nix Nacken rallied off a ground-saving trip to a world-record-equalling victory in the $821,429 Grade 1 Kentucky Futurity, highlighting a Saturday, Oct. 3 card at The Red Mile that featured a triumph by Shes Moni in the Grade 1 Kentucky Filly Futurity and speedy miles by Beau Jangles and Brandon Blvd in the Grade 3 Bluegrass Stakes.

Marcus Melander trainee Nix Nacken collected back-to-back Grade 1 victories when he collared leg-weary rivals to win the 134th Kentucky Futurity in 1:50.

Hambletonian winner Apex (Dexter Dunn) jumped off stride leaving the gate while stablemate Nix Nacken, in rein to champion Swedish driver Bjorn Goop, fired for the top from the pylon draw. Inexpressable (Scott Zeron) loomed after the leader through the first turn, with Big Ranger (Tim Tetrick) following, and swept to command passing a :27.1 first quarter. Big Ranger ground forward and planted onto the point nearing a :54 half.

American Power (James MacDonald) tipped off the pylons from eighth heading for the final turn and waited to catch cover, but as Big Ranger slowed for a breather, MacDonald zipped up the rim and blitzed the leader to three-quarters in 1:22.1. Big Ranger gave way to American Power turning for home as Goop fanned Nix Nacken towards the centre of the track and pocket-sitting Inexpressable shook free with clearance from second-over Zephyr Kemp (Todd McCarthy) rolling off stride. Inexpressable reached after American Power entering the final eighth of a mile, but Nix Nacken gathered steam and towered over the pair late to win by three-quarters of a length. Read The Room (Ake Svanstedt), a 67-1 shot, rallied widest of all from a shuffle to take second while Inexpressable finished third.

“This is an honour,” said Goop, who scored his first North American graded-stakes victory with this win. “I drove [Nix Nacken] once at The Meadowlands on Hambo Day last year – he was a little bit childish at the time, but he showed good speed. But of course he has improved a lot this year. I hoped to be like second or third to the inside by the rail… that ended up good and then he really blasted in the homestretch.”

The 1:50 mile by Nix Nacken equalled his own world record for two-year-old trotting geldings that he established on June 12 at The Meadowlands. His victory also lowered the track record for three-year-old trotting geldings of 1:50.1 set by Seismic Wave in 2018 and matched twice by Mr Mouton in 2025.

Nix Nacken, a son of Muscle Hill out of the Yankee Glide mare Nixie Volo, won his fifth race from 15 starts this season and his eighth race from 26 starts in his career, raising his earnings to $1,316,611. The gelding, who won the Canadian Trotting Classic at Woodbine Mohawk Park last out, is owned by Courant Inc. — Anders Strom’s organization that also won the 2019 Kentucky Futurity with another Marcus Melander trainee in Greenshoe.

“Bjorn and I have known each other for ages, so it’s extra fun to win with him,” Strom said after the race. “I was good friends with all of the family. I hope they watch this — and I know they are proud of Bjorn. He’s a fantastic horseman. And I really appreciate that he came over. He came last night, he drove today and he’s leaving at 6 a.m. tomorrow, so that’s a tough job; that’s a good friend.”

Sent off as the fourth choice in the betting, and pointing next for the Breeders Crown eliminations at Scioto Downs on Oct. 17, Nix Nacken paid $37.48 to win.

Trainer Nancy Takter snagged the top two finishing spots of the $428,571 Grade 1 61st Kentucky Filly Futurity when her trainee Shes Moni overcame a second-tier draw for a 1:50.1 victory in the race for sophomore trotting fillies over stablemate Madam Cheval.

Driver Yannick Gingras put Shes Moni on Madam Cheval's back behind the gate and followed as the stablemate, driven by Tim Tetrick, reached up for the early lead from post three. Shes Moni then waited for Carve (Bjorn Goop) to cross over into the pocket before pushing to command past a :27.3 quarter. Shes Moni continued to speed on the lead in the backstretch as Custom (Jason Bartlett), parked from the start, idled uncovered on the rim with Hambletonian Oaks champ Nezuko Kamado S (Scott Zeron) in tow. Zeron unwound Nezuko Kamado S around stalled cover approaching a :54.1 half, but his charge wobbled off stride while Shes Moni cruised on the lead.

Shes Moni maintained uncontested control while charging for three-quarters in 1:22.2 as Custom retreated. Madam Cheval bided her time in her stablemate’s slipstream rounding the bottom corner and gradually edged out of the pocket for an attack into the final eighth of a mile. Shes Moni extended for the finish and hit the line a half-length better than Madam Cheval with Carve giving chase in third.

“I was waiting to see [behind the gate] – Timmy’s filly is pretty sure-gaited and I thought was the right one to follow,” Gingras said after the race. “I also had the option of maybe sliding behind [Nuance], but as the gate was getting ready to open I thought I was in a great spot.

“She’s got a beautiful gait. She’s strong. She can get a little bit aggressive here and there, but today she was super. I was lucky to pick her up three starts back and she’s a wonderful filly. I thought I had enough to fend everybody off, but you just never know. They’re quality fillies. I saw Scotty [Zeron with Nezuko Kamado S] made a break at the half, so obviously that’s one I had to fear late in the race but I knew she was out of the race.”

A homebred for Brittany Farms LLC and Marvin Katz, Shes Moni won for the fourth time from 10 starts this season after a one-start-one-win freshman campaign, which was truncated due to soundness issues. The Walner filly, out of the Cantab Hall mare Thats All Moni, has now earned $608,879.

“I was having a wonderful day before the race and it’s even more wonderful now,” said George Segal, winning co-owner of Shes Moni through Brittany Farms. “I love breeding fillies and I love racing fillies. It’s great, and being a partner with Marvin (Katz) is even better.”

“George [Segal] had one of the greatest, if not the greatest pacing broodmare bands the sport has ever seen,” Katz said. “Hopefully we can replicate that with trotting. It’s a big statement – I don’t have that much hubris, but we’re trying.”

Shes Moni paid $8.14 to win.

Isabella Bi (Ake Svanstedt) won the $35,714 Kentucky Filly Futurity consolation with a 1:51 effort earlier in the card. Svanstedt swept to the lead with the daughter of Tactical Landing-Call Me Bi It past a :27.4 first quarter and coasted through middle fractions of :55.3 and 1:23.1 to then stave off late pursuers for a neck victory. Southwind Chaska (Tim Tetrick) rallied for second past pocket-popping 2-1 favourite Sparks (Yannick Gingras) in third. Svanstedt trains Isabella Bi for owners Ake Svanstedt Inc., Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, Little E LLC and Mr. Lars Olsson. The filly won for the second time from 11 starts this season and the third time from 18 starts in her career, good for $248,512 in earnings. She paid $10.80 to win.

The 134th Kentucky Futurity was sponsored by Hunterton Farms. The 61st Kentucky Filly Futurity was named “The Atlanta” and sponsored by Crawford Farms. The Kentucky Filly Futurity consolation was sponsored by the Volume Eight Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms

Last season’s dual Horse of the Year Beau Jangles and this season’s North American earnings leader Brandon Blvd both uncorked front-stepping 1:47.2 efforts to win their respective $112,857 divisions of the Grade 3 Bluegrass Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

In the first division, driver James MacDonald motored Beau Jangles for the front from the pylon draw and seated early leaver Ubrute (Yannick Gingras) heading to a :27.1 first quarter. Beau Jangles sailed up the backstretch under no pressure to a :54.1 half and maintained his speed through the last turn to three-quarters in 1:21.2. Ubrute emerged from the pocket spinning for home, but Beau Jangles held that rival at bay in the lane for a 1-1/2-length win. Sea Bistro Hanover (Todd McCarthy) kicked from a second-over trip for third.

“This year’s been a different year for sure,” winning trainer Dr. Ian Moore said, referencing the colt’s up-and-down sophomore season after an unbeaten freshman campaign. “We’ve had some bad things happen here and there, and so I’m glad we’re here. Looks like we’re readying for a nice end to the fall season here.

“In the paddock today he had his ears up looking at everything. Sometimes he gets a little nervous before a race – he might shake a little bit and get a little upset. Not today, and he warmed up beautiful. Everything was good. I’ve lightened the training on him of late; he does it so easy, so I frequently might’ve trained him too much in the past and in recent times I haven’t trained him hardly much at all, and he’s been way better doing that. So we’ll continue that.”

Beau Jangles competes for owners Graham Grace Stables LLC, Kiwi Stables LLC and Bolton Stables. The Cattlewash colt, out of the Art Major mare Mrs Major Hill, won for the sixth time from 13 starts this season and for the 18th time from 25 starts in his career, pushing his earnings to $2,184,086. He paid $3.06 to win.

Brandon Blvd hit the track in the following race to dominate the other Bluegrass division for sophomore male pacers and head a training triple for Andrew Harris on the 13-race program. Dexter Dunn ranged outside towards early blaster Papi Rick (Joe Bongiorno) to take brief command as Sweet Lovin Lou (Scott Zeron) lunged up to grab the lead through a :26.2 first quarter. Brandon Blvd angled out of the pocket and overtook Sweet Lovin Lou approaching a :54 half and cruised towards three-quarters in 1:21. He then quickened in the stretch as Sweet Lovin Lou tipped outside to challenge but only gave pursuit for second, beaten a half-length. Funky Buddha (Tim Tetrick) levelled off from a first-over push for third.

“He’s been doing it all season,” Dunn said after the race, “and Sweet Lovin Lou’s extremely fast and been in great form too. (Brandon Blvd) had to fight today, but that’s one of his real credits to him – he’s a fighter and that was a great performance.”

Brandon Blvd collected his ninth win from 12 starts this season and his 16th victory from 22 starts in his career, upping his bankroll to $2,180,432. The colt by Downbytheseaside, out of the American Ideal mare Alexis Faith, races for Punisher 11 Stable LLC. The winner returned $2.72.

Odds-on favourite Topville Lucky snatched the lead in the backstretch and asserted full authority to the finish off a 1:49.1 mile in the $107,143 first Grade 3 Bluegrass division for sophomore pacing fillies, giving Harris a stakes double.

Todd McCarthy secured a seat with Topville Lucky behind early leader Lyons I Wanna Chip (Jason Bartlett) to a :27 first quarter, but he soon circled the filly to the top heading towards a :55 half. Topville Lucky coasted on the point through the last turn, clicked past three-quarters in 1:22.3 and glided home a winner by three lengths chased by Need You Now (Dexter Dunn) in second. Barbuda Belle (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rallied from a pylon trip for third.

Topville Lucky competes for owner Punisher 11 Stable LLC. The filly by Sweet Lou, out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Warrawee Winx, won her second race from 10 starts this season and her eighth race from 17 starts in her career, raising her earnings to $711,164. She paid $3.02 to win.

Hope Hill turned the tables after a 3-1/2-length defeat in the Kentucky Championship Series final to Miss Jum Jabber when she overpowered that rival late in the stretch for a 1:49 victory in the $108,571 second division of the Bluegrass for three-year old pacing fillies.

Leaving from post two, driver Dexter Dunn eased into third with Hope Hill as longshot On Heir (Yannick Gingras) swept to the lead with Miss Jum Jabber (Scott Zeron) restless in the pocket at the quarter in :27.4. Zeron rolled Miss Jum Jabber out entering the backstretch and took over command well before a :55.1 half while Dunn waited to mount his attack to the far turn. Hope Hill slid off the cones, marched after Miss Jum Jabber to three-quarters in 1:22.1 and kept grinding against the odds-on favourite in the lane. Hope Hill matched strides with Miss Jum Jabber and overhauled her nearing the finish to win by a head with Im A Lou Lou (Tim Tetrick) closing for third.

A homebred daughter of Papi Rob Hanover-Ruth Hill for owner Tom Hill, Hope Hill won for the sixth time this season from 13 starts and for the 10th time from 22 starts in her career, good for $559,419 in earnings. The Petter Engblom trainee, sent off as the second choice in the betting, paid $24.02 to win.

The first Bluegrass division for three-year-old pacing males was named the “Harnessing the Future: UK College of Agriculture Day at The Red Mile,” sponsored by Woodford Feed. The second division for that group was sponsored by Brittany Farms. The first division of the Bluegrass for three-year-old filly pacers was sponsored by the Tall Dark Stranger Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms, and the second division was sponsored by Clear Creek at Brittany.

Funtime Bayama opened the afternoon with a 1:49.1 effort in the $28,571 Cane Run Farm Open Handicap Pace to kick off the Harris triple. Dunn brushed him to the top through a :27.1 first quarter and yielded for the pocket when challenged by 8-5 second choice Muskateer Hanover (Tim Tetrick) passing a :53.4 half. Funtime Bayama loomed out of the pocket after three-quarters in 1:21.2 and grabbed the lead in the stretch while holding off a late charge from Serious Miki (Todd McCarthy) to win by a half-length. Muskateer Hanover settled for third.

A five-year-old gelding by Hes Watching-Tymal Sugarbabydoll, Funtime Bayama competes for owner Punisher 11 Stable LLC. He won his fifth race from 17 starts this season and his 15th race from 50 starts in his career and has now earned $606,046. The win price was $3.54.

Ake Svanstedt trainee Mr Mouton, who spoiled the 27-race win streak of On To Norway in a Graduate Series division this summer, torched the track on the undercard to clock a track record for four-year-old trotting geldings with a 1:49.3 mile in the $28,571 Walner Syndicate Open Trot.

Leaving from post five, driver Yannick Gingras sent Mr Mouton towards the top and cleared from Jigger Dk (Todd McCarthy) heading to a :27.3 first quarter. Mr Mouton strolled unfazed through the rest of the mile, passing the half in :55 and then three-quarters in 1:22.4 in progress to a 4-1/4-length victory under minimal encouragement. Jigger Dk gave chase in second with Whiskey Wow (Scott Zeron) third.

“I thought I had the best horse,” Gingras said after the race. “He’s been competing against quality horses all summer and he showed up. I honestly had no idea what the track record was, but he was trotting strong still, [1:]22.4; did it really easy. I let him trot home… he still had some left and will be ready for his next starts.”

Mr Mouton, already a Red Mile track record holder with a tied 1:50.1 mark for three-year-old trotting geldings taken in 2025, bested the previous track record for four-year-old geldings of 1:50.1 set by Highland Kismet in 2025. The son of Chapter Seven, out of the Father Patrick mare Burberry, collected his fourth victory from 10 starts this season and his ninth win from 21 starts in his career. He has earned $460,636 for owners Knutsson Trotting Inc., Little E LLC, Stolz Geiger and Jorgen Sparredal Inc. He paid $3.08 to win.

Live harness racing at The Red Mile resumes on Thursday, Oct. 8 with the International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old trotting males and two-year-old pacing fillies as the highlight events. Thursday’s card will also feature a $6,063.81 carryover into the Super High 5, which is offered in Race 5. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).

(With files from The Red Mile; photos clockwise from top left of Nix Nacken, Shes Moni, Brandon Blvd and Beau Jangles)