Swedish drivers set for the Kentucky Futurity

Both Björn Goop and Örjan Kihlström will drive at the Red Mile in the United States this upcoming weekend. The track is located in Lexington, Kentucky, known as the ‘Horse Capital of the World’. The Red Mile itself is 1,609m long and made of red clay, which gives the track its name.

This weekend, it is time for the annual Kentucky Futurity, the third and final leg of the Triple Crown in America, following the Yonkers Trot and Hambletonian. With Apex winning the Hambletonian and Inexpressable taking the Yonkers Trot this year, Marion Marauder remains the last horse to complete the Triple Crown, in 2016.

Björn Goop will drive Nix Nacken, a horse trained by Marcus Melander who has just secured the biggest victory of his career. On September 26, he caused a big upset, beating stable companion Apex in the group 1 Canadian Trotting Classic. The gelding comes into the race in form and, with postnumber 1, he’s in a great position to try to upset once again.

Nix Nacken upsets in the Canadian Classic ©: New Image Media

Örjan Kihlström takes the seat behind Neighver Punt, another horse trained by Marcus Melander. The horse has proven to be able to race against the best of the generation, winning the group 2 Goodtimes Stakes in June. But even after a win at the Red Mile on September 21, he will still enter the race as an outsider behind the favorites. Postnumber 5 will suit him well.

The main horses to look for are Hambletonian winner Apex, runner-up Big Ranger, who’s prepared well for this particular race with a victory in Ohio, and Inexpressable, co-owned by Karin Walter-Mommert, who won the prestigious Earl Beal and the Kentucky Championship Series on the Red Mile.