The Red Mile and the Kentucky Futurity, Part 1

by Bob Heyden

It’s that time of year again. With a later than usual opening on Oct. 1, the Kentucky Futurity is just the opposite with an Oct. 3 date moved up so as not to conflict with the Breeders Crown.

First a few Red Mile notes before diving into the final Triple Crown race of 2026 and 525th ever.

FOR THE RECORD

• This year marks a full decade since the 2016 Always B Miki 1:46 record mile for the ages.

• In 1980 — 46 years ago today — Niatross posted his epic time trial of 1:49.1. He did not race at The Red Mile that year after a freshman season that saw six of 13 races in Kentucky including the last four at The Red Mile.

• Sunday marks 13 years since the still-standing Shebestingin record 1:47 mile was posted with David Miller and Joe Holloway in addition to owners Val D’or, Ted Gewertz, and L and L Devisser. No filly in the last 13 years has gone as fast.

• Looking at the current track records set in Lexington, only one has been set this year: Odds On Chesapeake (1:47.3) on Aug. 24 for a 4-year-old pacing mare.

• Seven existing track standards were set in 2025, the most of any year.

• Mission Brief set the 2YOTF mark of 1:50.3 in 2014 that still stands. Her son Apex has just reset the Hambletonian record to 1:49.2.

• Dexter Dunn has the most of any driver with five track records, with Todd McCarthy Yannick Gingras, and David Miller all with four. Ron Burke heads the conditioning side with six, followed closely by Ake Svanstedt with five (four of five driving), and Brett Pelling with four. Speaking of Pelling, 2026 marks the 35th anniversary of his first Tattersalls with Stoneridge Scooter.

•From the oddity dept, no trotter who holds a current track record at The Red Mile has ever been HOY!

KENTUCKY FUTURITY FACTS

• It’s the 525th Triple Crown event in history.

• The first two trotting legs have been won by a 33- and a 34-year-old Swedish born star: Lucas Wallin and Marcus Melander, respectively.

• 36 fillies have captured the Futurity but none in 34 years.

• In 2014, Jimmy Takter did what Marcus Melander has a shot at duplicating in 2026, capture the Hambletonian and the Oaks then double up with a Kentucky Futurity and the Filly Futurity.

• Walner is on a roll having sired the last three Triple Crown race winners: Emoticon Legacy in last year’s Kentucky Futurity followed by Inexpressable in the Yonkers Trot and Apex in this year’s Hambletonian. Remember Walner himself only had a pair of 3YO starts in 2017 before embarking on a storied stallion career.

• Erv Miller’s Manofmanymissions won the 2011 Kentucky Futurity 15 years ago for the third leading money-winning trainer of all time.

• Does anyone have a better Kentucky Futurity story to tell than Donato Hanover in 2007? He came in with 17-straight victories and was nine-for-nine as a sophomore. Then he twice set his lifetime mark that day in a straight heat score: 1:51.1 followed by a world record 1:50 1. It turned out to be his last visit to the winner’s circle and he was easily voted HOY.

• Can anyone find Joe Sbrocco-like good karma? Sbrocco was in the 2023 and 2024 Kentucky Futurity winner’s circle with two different ownership groups: Tactical Approach and then Sig Sauer.

• Or can someone duplicate the Pacing, Trotting Triple Crown Daley double three weeks apart that Noel Daley posted in 2024 with Captain Albano in the Jug and then Sig Sauer in The Red Mile fabled chair.

• In the 524 previous Triple Crown events nobody as young as Peter Haughton, 22, who won this race in 1976 with Quick Pay foiling his dad Billy’s Triple Crown bid with Steve Lobell. Peter showed two years later it was no fluke winning again with Doublemint.

• The last two Filly Futurities have gone identical 1:50.1 miles: Delaney Hanover and R Melina.

• In 2022 there was an epic battle between the ladies, a pair of stars who were only previewing what was to come: Jiggy Jog S over Joviality S.

• Todd McCarthy has taken two of the last five Filly Futurities while his brother Andy has two of the last five Futurities.

FUTURITY-HOY COMBO

• Scott Frost did it first in 1955 then repeated at 4.

• Emily’s Pride used her decision in the Futurity as the decider come ballot time as she was tied in first place votes at 28 with Belle Acton.

• Speedy Scot dominated in 1963 in a no brainer.

• Nevele Pride was the same in 1968 with his HOY season sandwiched in between two others making him then, and now, the only three-time trotting HOY.

• Fancy Crown absolutely needed the Futurity and had to survive a long inquiry and did so to hold off Nihilator and On The Road Again in the final tally.

• Glidemaster’s win in the then middle leg of the Triple Crown in 2006, left no doubt as to HOY when he sealed the deal in the Yonkers Trot.

• In 2007 the aforementioned Donato Hanover and Muscle Hill in 2009 in his unblemished season for the ages.

HOW SWEDE IT IS FUTURITY STYLE

Will the Swedish training domination continue in 2026? Seven have won the Futurity with Jan Johnson getting it started followed by Per Eriksson and Jimmy and Nancy Takter. Ake Svanstedt set the existing 1:49.1 mark in 2018 with Six Pack. Lucas Wallin took home first prize in 2022 with Rebuff to get his initial Triple Crown score. He followed brother-in-law Marcus Melander who took the 2019 edition with Greenshoe.