Ron Burke sent out nearly three dozen two-year-olds for their first action in qualifiers on Wednesday, June 11 at Gaitway Farm, resulting in 11 winners in the 12 events for the freshmen. Among the trainer’s group was pacing colt Another C Note, who produced the day’s fastest mile.
Yannick Gingras drove 10 of Burke’s winners while Scott Zeron was in the sulky for the remaining one. The only non-Burke winner was pacing colt Apocalypsebluechip, who was guided to victory by trainer Joe Bongiorno.
Another C Note (pictured above), a son of Captaintreacherous-Kate Cant Wait, stopped the timer in 1:55.2 in the first of four qualifiers for pacing colts. Another C Note was bred by Let It Ride Stables, which shares ownership with Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Scott Dillon.
Al Papi was just one-fifth of a second off his stablemate’s time, winning in 1:55.3. The homebred son of Papi Rob Hanover-Baron Remy is owned by Burke Racing Stable, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby, Larry Karr and Weaver Bruscemi.
Ubrute (Tall Dark Stranger-Warrawee Ubeaut) posted a 1:57.2 victory (with :26 last quarter) for Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, Crawford Farms Racing, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Phil Collura. The same group bred the colt. Warrawee Ubeaut was a two-time Dan Patch Award winner, and the family also includes O’Brien Award winner Warrawee Needy.
Bongiorno’s Apocalypsebluechip (Papi Rob Hanover-Queen Of Darkness) also triumphed in 1:57.2. He was purchased for $135,135 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, Joseph Bongiorno and Don Latore. He was bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock, Stephen Demeter and Stephen Giagni. The colt’s family includes 2017 U.S. Pacer of the Year Downbytheseaside.
Kissedbyastranger (Tall Dark Stranger-Kissinyougoodbye) was the fastest pacing filly, with a time of 1:56.1. She was bred by owners Thomas Dillon and Scott Dillon. Her family includes U.S. Hall of Famer Always B Miki.
Shes A Bulldog (Bulldog Hanover-Band Stand) and Sandyboots Yankee (Always B Miki-A Beach Cowgirl) were next on the list, both winning in 1:56.3. Shes A Bulldog is a homebred for owner Brad Grant. Sandyboots Yankee was purchased for $40,541 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr and Phil Collura. She was bred by Yankeeland Partners.
Winning the remaining event for the pacing fillies was With The Fur (Tall Dark Stranger-Apple Bottom Jeans) in 1:56.4 for owner Howard Taylor, who bred the filly with Robert Cooper Stables and Ed Gold. She was purchased for $54,054 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
Zeron drove the day’s fastest trotting colt, piloting Maga Hill (Muscle Hill-Goo Doo Doll) to victory in 1:59.1. Bred by Frank Canzone, he is owned by Zippett Racing Stable and Bill Elliott.
In the two remaining qualifiers for trotting colts, Whos Eyes Blues (Chapter Seven-Behindblueyes) won in 2:00 and AI (Chapter Seven-Image Of Bee) won in 2:00.2.
Whos Eyes Blues was purchased for $173,611 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino, Hatfield Stables and Weaver Bruscemi. He was bred by Fair Winds Farm. AI was purchased for $202,703 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Burke Racing, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc., and Weaver Bruscemi. He was bred by Steve Jones. His second dam is Hall of Famer Bee A Magician.
Completing the list of Wednesday winners was trotting filly Atlantic Summer (Captain Corey-Perfect Summer K), who scored in 1:59 for owners Burke Racing, James Simpson, Larry Karr and Weaver Bruscemi. Bred by Winning Key Inc., she was purchased for $69,444 at the Standardbred Horse Sale.
“Atlantic Summer is a filly we’ve loved the whole way training down,” said Burke. “Ubrute is a really good colt. The Tall Dark Strangers, I had four qualify today that looked really good. Overall, I thought it was very good.”
Gaitway will again host qualifiers for two-year-olds on June 18 and June 25.
For Wednesday’s complete charts, click here.
The replay of the live stream, courtesy of The First Mile, is available below.
(USTA)