Another Record Year For Burke?

Ron Burke brings 16 horses to Balmoral Park for Saturday’s (Oct. 11) American National Stakes card and could leave with the most single-year purse earnings of any harness racing trainer in history.

Burke established the record of $22.2 million last year and entered Friday with $21.8 million. Saturday’s card at Balmoral features eight American National Stakes for trotters and pacers and purses in excess of $1.3 million.

“I really thought [breaking the earnings record] would be the hardest thing for us to do,” said Burke, who last year became the first trainer to win 1,000 races in a season and has 872 victories this year. “But we got off to such a good strong start this year, better than even normal, and that made a lot of difference.

“If everything keeps going like its going we should be alright.”

Leading the “Burke Brigade” Saturday is Foiled Again, who is the morning line favourite in the $179,000 American National for older pacers. The 10-year-old Foiled Again is the richest horse in North American harness racing history, with $6.6 million in purses. Foiled Again is one of four Burke horses in the field, along with Bettors Edge, Clear Vision and Ultimate Beachboy.

Burke’s JK Endofanera, who in June won the North America Cup, is the favourite in the $227,000 American National for three-year-old male pacers. Burke also has four horses in this race, with Little Brown Jug winner Limelight Beach, At Press Time and Somesizesomestyle joining JK Endofanera.

Other top contenders for Burke are Wishing Stone and Archangel in the $166,300 American National for older trotters and Well Hello There in the $61,150 American-National for two-year-old female pacers.

Trainer Jimmy Takter, who is second to Burke with $10 million in purses this year, has the favourite in the $203,000 American National for three-year-old male trotters, Father Patrick, as well as the $150,000 division for three-year-old female trotters, Shake It Cerry.