Brave effort results in $500,000 133rd Kentucky Futurity win

LEXINGTON, Ky.— Determination homebred Emoticon Legacy (Walner) braved a strung-out first half from post 10 and proved all grit on the helm to take the 133rd renewal of the Kentucky Futurity, sponsored by Hunterton Farm, in a 1:49.2 harness racing effort on Sunday (Oct. 5) at The Red Mile.

Driver Louis Roy sent Emoticon Legacy forward from the outermost post and tracked cover from Super Chapter (Dexter Dunn) as he marched to take the lead from early leader Happy Jack B (Ake Svanstedt) through a :27.1 first quarter. Emoticon Legacy pushed once uncovered up the backstretch but didn’t clear control from Super Chapter until just before a :53.3 half. Roy kept his charge on the muscle through the turn as a new challenge came from Go Dog Go (Todd McCarthy), who pulled off the pylons from fifth and progressed up the rim uncovered to three-quarters in 1:21.4. Go Dog Go folded in his bid on the turn for home, leaving room for Super Chapter to pull outside as Maryland (Yannick Gingras) kicked down the center of the track from third over. Emoticon Legacy sped steadily for the finish and thwarted both of their late bids to secure a neck win with Maryland clinching second from Super Chapter. Happy Jack B gave chase in fourth.

EMOTICON LEGACY REPLAY

“I was definitely going to go forward,” said Louis Roy, talking about his gameplan from post 10. “I mean, the horse is so good. He went :53 to the half and felt like he’s not going at all. He’s efficient in his gait, he doesn’t have to re-up to cover a lot of ground, and he was still pretty good down the lane. I didn’t want to spring him too early, but then everybody else were coming too. I think everybody had a fair shot there and my horse is simply the best.”

Emoticon Legacy lowered his lifetime mark, which he established in his last start when trotting a Canadian record 1:49.4 to win the Grade 1 Canadian Trotting Classic. The Walner colt, out of champion mare Emoticon Hanover, won his seventh race from nine starts this year and his 11^th race from 16 starts in his career, earning $1,111,561 for owner Determination.

“He’s an amazing horse,” trainer Luc Blais said after the race. “He makes my job really easy, he does everything right and he’s a super athlete. He’s very smart – he’s aggressive, but very smart. And strong, very strong. She [Emoticon Hanover] was special, if you remember her. She gave her heart to her babies, I think.”

Off the second choice in the betting, Emoticon Legacy paid $7.04 to win.

Earlier in the day, Ake Svanstedt trainee Mr Mouton led every step to match the world record for 3-year-old trotting geldings with a 1:50.1 mile in the $50,000 Kentucky Futurity eligibles race. Dexter Dunn sailed the 4-5 favorite around the track and won for owners Knutsson Trotting Inc., Little E LLC, Stolz Geiger and Jorgen Sparredal Inc. The Chapter Seven-Burberry gelding paid $3.78 to win.

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

by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile