Setting the world record for three-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 at The Red Mile.
Trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt got off the gate third behind Crystal Fashion leading the field and Mets 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 Mets 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. Mets 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.
Tactical Landing took his time clearing to the lead in the first elimination heat of the Kentucky Futurity, but once he cleared to the top it was game over for the others.
Trainer/driver Jimmy Takter floated off the gate with his charge while Evaluate sprinted to the front and supplied the field with a first quarter clocked in :27.3. Tactical Landing powered to the top in the backstretch, and he went on to post middle panels of :55.1 and 1:23.3. From there, he roared home in :26.4 to win comfortably over the battling tandem of Eurobond and Crystal Fashion in 1:50.1. You Know You Do and Missle Hill rounded out the top five finishers in the $93,000 affair.
The three-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Southwind Serena has manufactured a 6-2-2 record from 10 trips to the track this season while boosting his lifetime earnings to $360,100. The speedball is owned by The Tactical Landing Stab of Perrysburg, OH.
Six Pack sat a sweet, pocket trip in his elimination heat of the Kentucky Futurity, and he knew exactly what to do with it when trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt fed him racetrack.
Mets Hall fired to the front and laid down very sensible, first-half fractions of :28.2 and :56 before Six Pack popped out of the pocket and pressed the leader to the three-quarter pole in 1:23.1. Six Pack edged away from Mets Hall and drew clear to win in 1:50.2 over Fiftydallarbill. Mets Hall, Patent Leather and Fashionwoodchopper rounded out the top five finishers.
The three-year-old son of Muscle Mass-Pleasing Lady won for the eighth time this season and for the 12th time in his career. His cash stash jumped to $939,715 for Ake Svanstedt Inc, Little E LLC, Stall Kalmar FF and Lars Berg.
(With files from The Red Mile)
Be sure to check out the rest of the coverage from Kentucky Futurity Day in the 2018 Kentucky Futurity Day News Centre.