"At the end of last year he was starting to get a bit too racy. When we first got him he was lazy and then he started to go the other way."

JK Endofanera never finished worse than second in seven outings as a freshman, winning four races and finishing second three times -- two of those loses by just a head, the other by a length.

At 15-1, JK Endofanera comes in at #7 in Trot Magazine's 2014 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book. The son of Art Major wasn't on the Grand Circuit for the majority of the season but was a major factor at its conclusion, winning the 2013 Governor's Cup at The Meadowlands.

Trot Insider caught up with trainer Ron Burke for an update on one of his two North America Cup contenders.

Where did he winter after the Governor's Cup?

"He was turned out down in the Carolinas [at Olive Branch Farms] and then he came back and trained down in New Jersey."

How long was he turned out?

"He was right at two months, a little less."

Where are you at with him right now?

"He's going to go his first trip in the bike on Friday (April 4)."

Have you noticed any changes from last year to this year?

"Not really, he was always a big horse so he didn't really need to grow much more. And he's still a very big horse. The biggest difference is that we're making much more of an effort this year to keep him calm."

When will he qualify?

"We'll probably start qualifying him in two to three weeks. I can't see me not qualifying him at least twice."

What will his early schedule look like leading up to the Pepsi NA Cup?

"His first start for money might be The Historic at Pocono [on May 24], but it very well could be the Somebeachsomewhere."

What does his tentative schedule look like after the NA Cup?

"He's only going to do the big track races this year, I can't see him racing too often in the Sire Stakes and I can't see him going any half-mile tracks at all."