Off the stakes-record victory of Louprint in last year’s North America Cup, trainer Ron Burke has Al Papi, Frantic Hanover, Melillo and Ubrute heading his charge to repeat in the million-dollar race.
The U.S. Hall of Famer’s quartet takes up spots four through seven in the TROT Magazine Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, with all four colts entered in stakes action this Saturday (May 2) at The Meadows.
Al Papi heads the Burke Brigade contingent at odds of 8-1. Two days too late to be the fastest two-year-old ever — after 1:47.4 and 1:48 clockings by Odds On Mr Mamba and Loua Dipa, respectively — his 1:48.1 effort at The Red Mile last year was still the fastest mile by a rookie pacing colt in the sport’s history. The son of Papi Rob Hanover-Baron Remy also set a world record on a five-eighths-mile track when he covered The Meadows in 1:49.2 in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) event on Aug. 21. After finishing second to the then-unbeaten Frantic Hanover in the PASS final, a race which broke his two-week-old record, he shifted to the Grand Circuit. He finished eighth after going first-up against dual Horse of the Year Beau Jangles in the Metro Pace, then produced his 1:48.1 mile in the International Stallion Stakes. The homebred for Burke Racing Stable LLC, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby, Larry Karr and Weaver Bruscemi LLC finished his season with a place finish in the Breeders Crown when making an early move to the lead, taking a mid-race shuffle, and rallying back down the lane.
Driven by Yannick Gingras for most of the year, Al Papi took a 4-4-2 record and earned $554,684 in 11 starts. The colt won his first qualifier at three, a 1:52.4 effort at Harrah’s Philadelphia, and finished second to Gentlemans Club (20-1 in the Spring Book) in an April 21 tune-up at the same track, finishing three quarter lengths back in a 1:53.1 mile.
Backing him up at 11-1 is Frantic Hanover, who produced a perfect PASS campaign, including the aforementioned world-record 1:49.1 win in the final. The $48,611 Harrisburg buy went undefeated in his first seven starts heading into a memorable matchup with Beau Jangles in the Metro, in which he made the early lead and came back at Dr. Ian Moore’s colt down the lane but missed by a half-length. The son of Stay Hungry-Francessa then finished second by a head in the International Stallion to 6-1 Spring Book chance Brandon Blvd and finished fifth in both the Breeders Crown final and the Matron.
Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Brad Grant, Knox Services Inc. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frantic Hanover went 7-2-0 in 12 appearances and earned $746,964. The colt has qualified twice at Harrah’s Philadelphia with regular driver Tim Tetrick aboard, winning the first by a nose in 1:56 and the latter on April 21 by a quarter-length in 1:54.1.
Melillo is the sole member of the four-horse group to already have a start — and win — under his belt in 2026. The three-time stakes winner in 2025 got a pocket trip in a conditioned race at The Meadows on April 22 and rolled past the pacesetter at the pylons to score in 1:51.1 under a firm hold from Ronnie Wrenn Jr. The Sweet Lou-Rosemary Rose colt, a homebred for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Jason Melillo and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, went three-for-14 with $526,411 in earnings as a rookie with key wins in the Bluegrass and International Stallion Stakes, the latter in 1:48.4 at The Red Mile. He was in the mix with the top horses in the division late in the season, finishing third in the Breeders Crown to Beau Jangles, fourth in the Matron, and a closing second to Gentlemans Club in the Governor’s Cup at The Meadowlands. The colt qualified in 1:54.3 at Harrah’s Philadelphia heading into his sophomore debut victory. He has been given a 13-1 billing in the Spring Book.
Ubrute completes the Burke contingent at 19-1 and heads into his three-year-old year off a pair of qualifiers at The Meadowlands, the more recent a 1:52 victory over Brandon Blvd. The colt’s two wins as a freshman came in back-to-back scores at The Red Mile, including the Kentucky Championship Series final in 1:49.4. The son of Tall Dark Stranger out of double Breeders Crown champion Warrawee Ubeaut also took place finishes in the Bluegrass and International Stallion and was third in the Governor’s Cup behind Melillo and Gentlemans Club. Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Hatfield Stables and Phil Collura, the $202,703 Harrisburg purchase had a 10-2-3-3 record at two with $498,185 in earnings.
Also included in Burke’s Spring Book entries is two-year-old Ohio champion Lindy Dragonwater at 30-1.
Trot Insider spoke with Burke on the status of his top contenders.
Where did they winter and when did you start back with them?
“They were all at Chris Coyle’s (Olive Branch Farm), and they all came up to Gaitway. They all started back the week of Jan. 15 to the next week.”
Have you noticed any changes from last year to this year?
“Maybe Al Papi’s a little sounder than he was by the end of the year last year. But overall, they all look great, but they looked great when they quit.”
What will their tentative early schedules look like leading up to the Pepsi North America Cup?
“Sire Stakes May 2 at The Meadows. And then the next Sire Stakes (May 16 at Pocono). There’s a chance Ubrute will come to the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes.”
What are their biggest assets/strengths?
“Ubrute’s fast, he’s just a very fast horse. Frantic is versatile — he can do it either way. Melillo’s just a professional racehorse — he’s going to make the most of his ability. Al Papi’s fast, he’s a fast horse too. So two of them are more speed horses, and two of them are more like professional racehorses. But they all seem to be able to do everything at least good.”
At what point last year did you think they were North America Cup material?
“I think they all had a breakout moment — Ubrute in Lexington (in the KYSS final), Al Papi at The Meadows when he won in 1:49.2. Frantic, right from the get-go, showed he was special. And then Melillo, it was more at the end of the year when he just kept getting better and more competitive no matter whom he got in with.”
How does it feel to have four horses that appear to have a legit shot to give you another North America Cup?
“It’s definitely more fun this year; last year, there was pressure on us to produce. This year, we expect to do well, but the pressure is on Beau Jangles. He’s going to, at some point, have to make it to the front and then hold everybody off, because you’re not going to ever get beat with a horse like that sitting in. It's a different race, but it’s kind of more fun sometimes trying to upset the apple cart.”
(Standardbred Canada)