Hoosier Park Racing & Casino concluded their 2015 harness racing season with a 14-race card in front of a packed house on Saturday, November 14. In addition to the racing action, Trace Tetrick and Ron Burke secured leading driver and trainer titles, respectively.
Ron Burke, who took home Hoosier Park’s top training honours in 2013 and 2014, was officially recognized as the 2015 leading trainer of the season at Hoosier Park. The Burke barn had an impressive 96 trips to the winner’s circle and amassed over $2.1 million in purse earnings throughout the 160-day season. The Trent Stohler Stable finished second in the trainer standings with 60 trips to the Hoosier Park winner’s circle this season.
Burke, who in 2013 became the first trainer in the sport of harness racing to eclipse $20 million mark in a single season, campaigns a large stable of horses throughout the country. The sport’s leader in both wins and earnings in North America for the past seven seasons romped to his fourth straight Hoosier Park training title this season.
Jamie Rucker, Burke’s assistant trainer, oversees all training operations in Indiana and was present in the winner’s circle to accept the award from Jim Brown, Centaur Gaming’s president and chief operating officer, and Rick Moore, Hoosier Park’s vice president and general manager of racing.
“It’s a great racing program, great horses, great people and a great team behind everything here at Hoosier Park so we appreciate being a part of things,” Rucker noted. “I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but we have a great team at the Burke Stable and that has made for a great year of racing. I know I speak on behalf of everyone involved with the Ron Burke Stable, it is always a pleasure racing at Hoosier Park. We had another great season this year and at the end of the day, this makes it all worth it.”
In the driving ranks, Trace Tetrick, who led the driver standings from start to finish, earned his fourth leading driver title at Hoosier Park in 2015. Tetrick scored 323 wins and earned over $3.6 million in purse earnings to secure the title over Tyler Smith, who finished second with 166 victories. Tetrick also earned a spot in Hoosier Park’s record books as he reset the record for most wins in one season, a record that he established during the 2014 season with 289 victories.
The Southern Illinois native started driving in 2003 and has since surpassed the $30 million mark in purse earnings in the bike. With multiple stakes wins to his credit, Tetrick is on track to record his best season to date in 2015 with over $4.7 million in purse earnings and counting. Tetrick also celebrated his 3,000 career driving win at Hoosier Park this season.
“I would like to thank all the owners, trainers, and grooms for the opportunity to drive great horses all season, without them, I wouldn’t be here,” Tetrick noted in the winner’s circle. “It’s been a dream. This year has been a great ride and I really appreciate all the support from everyone. I’ve had the opportunity to drive some great horses this year and it really has been a dream.”
The Saturday night program wrapped up an extremely successful season at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. Hoosier Park Racing & Casino would like to thank all of the fans and horsemen who helped make the 2015 season at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino an overwhelming success.
(Hoosier Park)