by Bob Heyden

Reviewing the Grand Circuit meet at the Red Mile past and present.

HISTORY FOR KARL

Though it was not what they exactly had in mind, Karl entered the history books with his fifth-place finish in the $500,000 Kentucky Futurity. He vaulted past $1 million to $1,002,839 on the heels of a freshman $1,041,977 to become the first trotter to do this at 2 and 3 (U.S. funds). Others who came close were Deweycheatumnhowe 936G at 2, Muscle Hill 817G, Father Patrick 744G, Southwind Frank 786G and Shake It Cerry 827G all of the above followed with seven-figure sophomore seasons.

SHOW TIME

Those two words would best describe Dave Miller’s Futurity Day. Three times he was third, twice with the longest shot in the field and once with the second longest: Call Option (54-1) paid $8.16 to show; in the Filly Futurity, Sambuca Hanover (60-1) paid $17.30 to show and in the Futurity second longshot in the field, Bellas Musclehill, paid $16 to show at and an incredible 130-1.

BORN IN THE USA?

No. For what is believed to be a first, zero U.S.-born drivers won a single race on Futurity Day. The races were won by: Bob McClure, Dexter Dunn, Yannick Gingras, Andy and Todd McCarthy and Ake Svanstedt. The U.S. born drivers had 28 out of 95 drives, and only Dave Miller even drove a favorite, lukewarm choice Little Rocket Man at 2-1 who didn’t cash.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

The Kentucky Futurity began in 1893, after the first race in Kentucky was held in 1875. The races were “sweepstakes” and the entire weekend “The Great Fall Trots.” Plus-the term “time trial” was not yet coined in 1893 when the first Triple Crown race was launched. The world race records were both 2:04 flat by Nancy Hanks on the trot and Mascot on the pace. The 2:01 3/4 overall best from the 20^th-century term “time trial” was recorded by Westmont, then called “pacing with running mate.”

SIX FIGURES

For the first time I’ve ever seen in any sophomore stake, every starter in the Filly Futurity had a six-figure bankroll at both 2 and 3. All 22 lines in this 11-horse field. Try and find this anywhere previously. In the Futurity it was 17-for-22 with six-figure money lines. Of course, with the field based on earnings, the 3YO money is obvious, but every freshman line too?

NOT ENOUGH TIME

Noel Daley missed Jerry Silverman’s mark of most time in between winning the same Triple Crown race by four years. It’s been 21 years for Daley since Mr Muscleman won the 2003 Futurity and now he won with Sig Sauer. Silverman had a full quarter century in the Messenger winner’s circle with Romeo Hanover in 1966 and then Die Laughing in 1991.

SIX AND SIX FOR SIX

Six Triple Crown races in 2024 are now in the books and it’s rare to see six different winners for six different trainers and six different drivers.

AKE’S THE ONLY ONE

Ake Svanstedt is the only trainer/driver (both) on the list of the 26 track record holders at the Red Mile. Four times too: Six Pack at 3 (1:49.1) and 4 (1:49.2), Plunge Blue Chip at 3 (1:49.4) on the filly side and 2YOTC Southwind Tyrion (1:51.1).

OH BROTHER

Brothers Andy and Todd McCarthy taking the Futurity and Filly Futurity, respectively in the same year is unprecedented. Father and son took them in 1978 when Billy Haughton won the Filly Futurity with Rosemary and his 24-year-old son Peter won the Futurity with Doublemint.

BETTER MAKES BETTOR’S BETTER

Bettor’s Wish now has his first million-dollar credit as a stallion, as soon as Better Is Nice crossed the wire second behind Mirage Hanover’s 1:46.3 in the Tattersalls. Bettor’s Wish is a two-time HOY runner-up and possibly THE son of Bettors Delight everyone is waiting to take and run with the crown.