"Training down she was beating most of our three-year-old fillies, so we knew that she was maybe better than we originally thought,” said trainer Ron Burke of his star three-year-old pacing filly Some Girls Do, who has
continued to do better than her fellow stablemates, winning an elimination for the James M. Lynch Memorial. The $250,000 Lynch final will take place on Saturday at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
Purchased by Burke after her two-year-old season, Some Girls Do has won nine of 12 races this year, earning $128,275 for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Baldachino and Earl Smith.
“She’s been a real pleasure,” said Burke, who will also send out Foxy Lady and Hasty Pulse in the Lynch final. “She’s continued to get better with every start; she probably just needed some racing experience. Training down she was beating most of our three-year-old fillies, so we knew that she was maybe better than we originally thought.”
Last year, Some Girls Do won one of five races and $2,690. Burke thought she would make a nice horse for the New York Sires Stakes circuit, but she has won the Tender Loving Care and Nightstyles at the Meadowlands and a division of the Courageous Lady at Northfield Park so far this season.
On May 22, Some Girls Do finished sixth in her elimination for the Empire Breeders Classic at Tioga Downs. It was her only off-the-board finish in her last seven starts.
“She’s been really good,” Burke said. “She had the one bad race at Tioga and we scoped her and she was really sick. We didn’t know if we could get her healthy enough for last week, but she bounced back good. She should be better this week, I would think.”
Mystical Diva, trained by Tony Alagna for owners Mystical Marker Farms, Sandra Dyer and Louis Willinger, won the other Lynch elimination race. She won by a half-length over Hasty Pulse in 1:50.4.
Some Girls Do won her elim by one and a half lengths over Fresh Idea in 1:52.
Here is a look at the field for the James M. Lynch Memorial Pace in post position order with listed drivers and trainers:
1. Mystical Diva, Matt Kakaley, Tony Alagna
2. Kaylas Dream, George Napolitano Jr., Bill Popfinger
3. Fresh Idea, Dave Palone, Tony Alagna
4. Speed And Grace, Corey Callahan, Mark Kesmodel
5. Some Girls Do, Kakaley, Ron Burke
6. Foxy Lady, Palone, Ron Burke
7. Hasty Pulse, Napolitano, Ron Burke
8. Live Inspired, Montrell Teague, George Teague Jr.
9. Chartreuse Hanover, Tyler Buter, Richard Bilach
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.