Trainer Ron Burke thrice found success on the Monday (June 1) card at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel in the second preliminary of Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) action for 4-year-olds including a sweep of the two $69,444 divisions for pacing horses and geldings and a surprise win via disqualification a dash for the trotting horses and geldings.

Burke's first win of the day came in the opening split of KYSS for pacing males with 1-9 favourite Harrisburg Heist (driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) leading every step in a 1:49.3 mile. Wrenn cleared command out of post 5 to cut a clip of :26.4, :55.2 and 1:23.1 in progress to a 2-3/4-length win under wraps over stablemate Banderas (Yannick Gingras) chasing from the pocket in second. Bourbon County (Todd McCarthy) forged first over to take third and Falcon (Marcus Miller) followed his cover into fourth.

A gelding by Downbytheseaside-Cashaway, Harrisburg Heist won his fourth race from five starts this season and his 17th from 36 races in his career, earning $969,426 for owners Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, PA, Knox Services of Mt Vernon, OH, Phil Collura of Mountain Top, PA, and Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, PA. He paid $2.10 to win.

Wrenn and Burke teamed for the win in the other KYSS split for pacing males when Captain Arturovico shook free from a pocket ride for a 1:49.3 win as the 4-5 favourite. Captain Arturovico perched behind pacesetter Damn The Torpedoes (Tim Tetrick) to a :26.3 first quarter and followed intently as the leader endured intense mid-race pressure from Fusion (Todd McCarthy) through a :54.2 half and 1:21.4 three-quarters. Once Fusion lost ground off the last turn, Captain Arturovico had clearance to angle outside and zip past Damn The Torpedoes for a 1-1/2-length win. Special Select (Marcus Miller) split horses late off a ground-saving trip for third and Fusion levelled off for fourth.

A gelding by Captaintreacherous-Tilikum, Captain Arturovico won his 14th race from 39 starts and has now earned $541,948. He's owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr of Boca Raton, FL, and Phil Collura and paid $3.86 to win.

In between his bookend wins, Burke and Wrenn inherited a win as the second longest shot on the board in the second of two KYSS splits for trotting males when Big Shoes was elevated to first after the disqualification of 1-9 favourite Whiskey Wow (Tim Tetrick) for failing to lose ground while off stride at the start.

Big Shoes ground into action uncovered after Te Quiero Lindy (Tyler Miller) clocked early splits of :26.3 and :55.3 to eventually snatch the lead marching past three-quarters in 1:24.2. Big Shoes scooted away in the lane for a half-length win over Vugoo (Yannick Gingras), who emerged from the pocket to take second. Te Quiero Lindy gave chase for third and Yo Sheldon finished fourth in a race where Whiskey Wow managed to recover from his break in stride and rally over the top for the win before his disqualification.

Big Shoes, a stallion by Greenshoe-Witty Girl, won his 11th race from 39 starts and has now earned $539,018 for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi and Knox Services. He paid $25.20 to win.

Another big upset occurred later in the card when Caviart Delight (Todd McCarthy), the second longest shot on the board, rolled over the top of the field to upset the lone KYSS split for pacing mares. McCarthy took back to last with his charge while brother Andy McCarthy aggressively sent 1-5 favourite Three Times Bettor to the lead from the pylon post into a :26.4 first quarter. Three Times Bettor strolled by the half in :55 and coasted up the backside before being confronted by a blitz out of fourth from Champagne Room (Tim Tetrick) that caused her to hit the ropes after a 1:22.3 three-quarters. Caviart Delight followed Champagne Room's rush and fanned to the center of the track in the stretch to storm by and win by two lengths over Rose (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), who emerged from a shuffle to last for second. Champagne Room held third and Three Times Bettor settled for fourth.

Virgil Morgan Jr. trains Caviart Delight, a mare by Always B Miki-Caviart Darlin, for owners Let It Ride Stables of Boca Raton, FL, Jesmeral Stable of New Rochelle, NY, and Morrison Racing Stable of Indiana, PA. She won her sixth race from 32 starts, has now earned $364,755 and paid $30.74 to win.

Lasting Dream (Daniel Dube) later scored a slight upset in the single division of KYSS for trotting mares with a 1:52.1 victory. Dube circled Lasting Dream to the lead through a :26.3 first quarter and stayed on the muscle through a :55.4 half and 1:24 three-quarters to hold firmly for the victory by three-quarter lengths over 6-5 favourite Winnpanzee (Yannick Gingras), who pushed first over to take second. Best Friends Girl (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rallied for third and R Dutchess (Tim Tetrick) gave chase for fourth.

Luc Blais trains Lasting Dream, a daughter of Cantab Hall-Dream Together, for owner-breeder Determination of Montreal, Que. She won her seventh race from 24 starts, earning $760,943, and paid $12.74 to win.

Amid the several surprise winners and Burke's training hat trick, Gimpanzee Dancer (Andy McCarthy) quietly started the day's action with a 1:53 win in the first KYSS division for trotting males as the 1-9 favourite. He cruised through splits of :28.2, :58 and 1:25.2 to win by three-quarter lengths over pocket-sitter My Degenerate (Tyler Miller) with Royal Comet (Marvin Luna) pushing first over for third. Herecomesdajudge (Marcus Miller) took fourth.

Chris Beaver trains Gimpanzee Dancer, a stallion by Gimpanzee-Weslynn Dancer, and co-owns with partners Carolina Acosta and Derek Ivany. He won his sixth race from eight starts this season and his 12th race from 37 starts in his career, earning $674,361. He paid $2.22 to win.

A $41,667 Open Handicap Pace also hit the track on the busy stakes day. Admiral Hill (Yannick Gingras) powered to the lead in a :25.4 first quarter and maintained his speed through a :53.4 half and 1:21.2 three-quarters to win in 1:49.1 by three-quarter lengths over 1-2 favourite Tip Top Cat (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) closing from second over for second. A Cool Moment (Joey Putnam) charged down the center of the track from third over for third and Yankee B Something (Geremy Bobbitt) chased from the pocket for fourth. Per Engblom trains Admiral Hill, a six-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou-Laura Hill, for owner Morrison Racing Stables. He paid $7 to win.

Live racing resumes at Oak Grove on Tuesday (June 2) with a 14-race card and a carryover into the 20-cent Late Pick 5, which has a 15 percent takeout, worth $1,868.68 USD. First-race post time is 1:10 p.m. (CDT).

(Oak Grove; Photo of Harrisburg Heist)