The Meadowlands Racetrack’s Friday (February 10) qualifying session wasn’t officially called ‘The Burke and Gingras Show,’ but it may as well have been.
Seven dashes comprised the session, and charges trained by Ron Burke and driven by Yannick Gingras won six of them.
The trainer/driver combination clicked in the first four races, as Big Apple Deli gelding J A T O (1:57), Justice Hall horse Call For Justice (1:56.2), Rose Run Parker (1:55.4) and Third Straight mare Lakeisha Hall (1:54.2) posted wins, respectively, to start the festivities.
The tandem was back at it in Race 6, as Always A Virgin gelding Always At My Place paced to a dominant wire-to-wire win in 1:53.4.
After having been on the shelf for a handful of months, Prix d’Ete and Confederation Cup winner Rockin Ron (1:54.3) made his return in Race 7. The Real Desire gelding took a pocket ride through the fractions and paced to a two and a half-length win off a 27-second final quarter.
