Nix Nacken equals world record in $575,000 Kentucky Futurity triumph

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Marcus Melander trainee Nix Nacken (Muscle Hill) collected back-to-back Grade 1 victories following a win over 2026 Hambletonian winner Apex in the Canadian Trotting Classic when he sprung from a ground-saving trip and collared leg-weary harness racing rivals to win the $575,000 Grade 1 134^th Kentucky Futurity—sponsored by Hunterton Farms—in a world-record equaling 1:50 mile.

Apex jumped off stride leaving the gate while stablemate Nix Nacken, in rein to champion Swedish driver Bjorn Goop, fired for the top from the pylon draw. Inexpressable (driven by Scott Zeron) loomed after the leader through the first turn, with Big Ranger (Tim Tetrick) following, and swept to command passing a :27.1 first quarter. Big Ranger ground forward and planted onto the point nearing a :54 half.

American Power (James MacDonald) tipped off the pylons from eighth heading for the final turn and waited to catch cover, but as Big Ranger slowed for a breather MacDonald zipped up the rim and blitzed the leader to three-quarters in 1:22.1. Big Ranger gave way to American Power turning for home as Goop fanned Nix Nacken towards the center of the track and pocket-sitting Inexpressable shook free with clearance from second-over Zephyr Kemp (Todd McCarthy) rolling off stride. Inexpressable reached after American Power entering the final eighth but Nix Nacken gathered steam and towered over the pair late to spurt past and win by three-quarters of a length.

NIX NACKEN REPLAY

Read The Room (Ake Svanstedt), a 67-1 shot, rallied widest of all from a shuffle to take second while Inexpressable finished third and American Power took fourth.

“This is an honor,” said Bjorn Goop, who scored his first North American graded-stake victory with this win. “I drove [Nix Nacken] once at The Meadowlands on Hambo Day last year – he was a little bit childish at the time, but he showed good speed. But of course he has improved a lot this year. I hoped to be like second or third to the inside by the rail… that ended up good and then he really blasted in the homestretch.”

The 1:50 mile by Nix Nacken equaled his own world record for 3-year-old trotting geldings that he established on June 12 at The Meadowlands. His victory also lowered the track record for 3-year-old trotting geldings of 1:50.1 set by Seismic Wave in 2018 and matched twice by Mr Mouton in 2025.

Nix Nacken, a son of Muscle Hill out of the Yankee Glide mare Nixie Volo, won his fifth race from 15 starts this season and his eighth race from 26 starts in his career, banking $938,367 for owner Courant Inc.—Anders Strom’s organization that also won in the 2019 Kentucky Futurity with another Marcus Melander trainee in Greenshoe.

“Bjorn and I have known each other for ages, so it’s extra fun to win with him,” Strom said after the race. “I was good friends with all of the family. I hope they watch this—and I know they are proud of Bjorn. He’s a fantastic horseman. And I really appreciate that he came over. He came last night, he drove today and he’s leaving 6 a.m. tomorrow, so that’s a tough job; that’s a good friend.”

Sent the fourth choice in the betting, and pointing next for the Breeders Crown eliminations at Scioto Downs on Oct. 17, Nix Nacken paid $37.48 to win.

Live harness racing at The Red Mile resumes on Thursday (Oct. 8) with the International Stallion Stakes for 2-year-old trotting males and 2-year-old pacing fillies as the highlight events. Thursday’s card will also feature a $6,063.81 carryover into the Super High 5, which is offered in Race 5. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).

For more information on the 2026 live harness racing season, visit The Red Mile website (https://www.redmileracing.com).

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile