Inexpressable heads to the $575,000 USD Grade 1 Kentucky Futurity, for three-year-old trotters, on Saturday, Oct. 3 off the sharpest performance of his career so far, and co-owner/trainer Lucas Wallin is hopeful for another top effort from his colt at Lexington’s Red Mile.
On Sept. 20, Inexpressable won the $563,380 Kentucky Championship Series final by 4-3/4 lengths in 1:49.3 at the Red Mile. The victory was his third in four starts dating back to Aug. 8, but the previous two triumphs came by a neck and a head. Throw in his win in the MGM Yonkers Trot on June 26, and his three previous victories were decided by a neck or less.
And that margin of victory in the Kentucky Championship Series final is what impressed Wallin, even more than the 1:49.3 clocking that equalled the third-fastest time ever by a three-year-old trotter.
“I don’t focus very much on the time,” Wallin said. “Anytime you have a trotter going under (1:)50, it’s impressive, but it’s more the way he did it coming first-up and drawing away from the others. He’s usually a colt, in the wins he’s had, that doesn’t really do more than he has to. So, I wasn’t surprised by the time and that he won, but more the way he did it.”
And how does that bode for Inexpressable in the 134th edition of the Kentucky Futurity?
“Everything looks very good,” Wallin said. “Of course, after a mile like he did, you never know how they will react, but everything seems like it’s – knock on wood – even better. He feels better, and smoother gaited. So, we’re optimistic, even if we know that it’s a very tough race. If he keeps the same level as the last race, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
The Kentucky Futurity is the third jewel in the Trotting Triple Crown. Inexpressable captured the first, the Yonkers Trot, while Apex won the second, the Hambletonian.
Apex is the 6-5 morning-line favourite in the Kentucky Futurity and will leave from post seven with Dexter Dunn in the sulky for trainer Marcus Melander, who has six horses in the race. Big Ranger, second by a whisker to Apex in the Hambletonian, is the 9-5 second choice. Supplemented to the event for $75,000 USD, Big Ranger will go from post nine with Tim Tetrick driving for trainer Anette Lorentzon. Nix Nacken, who won the Canadian Trotting Classic last week over Apex, is the 7-2 third choice and will leave from post one with Björn Goop driving for Melander.
Inexpressable, at 6-1, is the co-fourth choice on the morning line. The son of Walner-Ineffable will start from post six with Scott Zeron in the sulky. The colt has won five of nine races this year and earned $739,127 for owners Wallin Racing Stable Inc. and Karin Walter-Mommert. In addition to the Kentucky Championship Series final, his recent victories include the Grade 2 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Aug. 22.
“It feels like he’s getting better and better with the tougher races he’s had,” Wallin said. “It’s experience, and confidence, as well. He didn’t race many times last year (five), and not against the best ones. I think the races have pushed him forward. And he takes care of himself so good between the races, that’s probably the key with the top horses.”
Wallin won the Kentucky Futurity with Rebuff in 2022, and he captured the companion Grade 1 Kentucky Filly Futurity last year with Delaney Hanover.
“The Red Mile is historic, and one of my favourite tracks to race at, so that’s something that I rank very, very high on my list, that I’ve won both of them already,” the 33-year-old Wallin said. “But I would like to do it again.”
Three trainers this century have won the Kentucky Futurity multiple times: Noel Daley, Jimmy Takter and Trond Smedshammer. Four of the five trainers with horses in Saturday’s Futurity enter the race with one triumph already to their credit: Wallin, Melander, Åke Svanstedt, and Ron Burke. Lorentzon seeks her first trophy.
The field for the Kentucky Futurity is below.
$575,000 USD Kentucky Futurity (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer - Morning Line
1. Nix Nacken - Bjorn Goop - Marcus Melander - 7-2
2. American Power - James MacDonald - Marcus Melander - 6-1
3. Ai - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke - 8-1
4. Read The Room - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt - 8-1
5. Neighver Punt - Orjan Kihlstrom - Marcus Melander - 15-1
6. Inexpressable - Scott Zeron - Lucas Wallin - 6-1
7. Apex - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander - 6-5
8. Magic Punk - Yannick Gingras - Ake Svanstedt - 15-1
9. Big Ranger* - Tim Tetrick - Anette Lorentzon - 9-5
10. Zephyr Kemp - Todd McCarthy - Marcus Melander - 15-1
11. Spencer Hanover - Jason Bartlett - Marcus Melander - 15-1
AE1. Captain Naughty - Yannick Gingras - Petter Engblom
AE2. Lucchese - Joe Bongiorno - Rene Sejthen
*Supplemental entry
Racing begins at 1 p.m. (EDT) Saturday at the Red Mile. The Kentucky Futurity is the 13th and final race on the card and will be preceded by the $300,000 USD Kentucky Filly Futurity. Hambletonian Oaks winner Nezuko Kamado S, from the Melander Stable, is the 5-2 morning-line favourite among the three-year-old filly trotters. She will leave from post eight with Zeron in the sulky.
Scheduled to go to post at 5:45 p.m., the Kentucky Futurity will air on FS2 through coverage on the New York Racing Association’s show America’s Day at the Races.
(USTA)