Ron Burke can’t say whether he has a horse similar to Southwind Frank in his group of two-year-olds that qualified for the first time Monday (June 6) at Gaitway Farms, but the trainer was generally pleased with what he saw from his 25 rookies that went to the track.
Burke won six of the day’s 11 qualifiers for the two-year-olds, finishing first with male pacers John Dally, Miso Fast, and Normandy Beach as well as female trotters Sianna Hanover and Romancing Rachel plus male trotter Southwind Cobra. Yannick Gingras drove all the Burke winners.
Trainer Julie Miller, who had 14 two-year-olds make their debuts, won three races. Her winners were female pacers Pleasant Roll and Annacloy along with male trotter Fly On, all with husband Andy Miller in the sulky.
John Dally and Annacloy tied for the day’s fastest clocking by the two-year-olds, both stopping the timer in 1:56.3. Southwind Cobra led the male trotters with a time of 1:59 and Sianna Hanover led the female trotters with a time of 1:59.4 on a sun-drenched morning with occasional gusty breezes in the stretch.
Burke-trained Southwind Frank, this year’s early-season Hambletonian favorite and last year’s Dan Patch Award-winning divisional champion, made his debut a year ago at Gaitway.
“That’s hard to say,” Burke said when asked if another horse like Southwind Frank was on display Monday. “He might be the best horse we ever had.
“Overall I thought it was a good day. The wind makes it tough to get a feel for how good they were or weren’t. But I thought Sianna Hanover was most impressive, followed by maybe Cobra and Filibuster (Hanover); even though he made a break, I was very happy with him and Miso Fast. The ones we thought would be better were better and the ones we thought might have a little trouble did.
“What we have to watch for is that ours tend to get a little anxious so then we have to try to keep them quiet.”
John Dally is a son of Somebeachsomewhere out of the mare Michelle My Gal, who is a full sister to Burke-trained millionaire Atochia. John Dally, a full brother to stakes-winner Beach Gal, was purchased as a yearling for $130,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale and is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables, and J&T Silva Stables. He won by a neck over Chris Ryder’s Pointomygranson (American Ideal-Sangaal) despite going off stride early in the mile.
Miso Fast (Roll With Joe-Sakura Hanover) was purchased for $125,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale and is also owned by Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables, and J&T Silva Stables. He is a half-brother to stakes-winners Thirty Two Red and Forty Five Red and his family also includes O'Brien Award winner Glowing Report. Miso Fast won by a head over stablemate Rock It Scott (Roll With Joe-Vanite Semalu) in 1:58.
Bill Donovan's Normandy Beach (Somebeachsomewhere-Symphony In Motion) won by 2-1/4 lengths over stablemate Southwind Yukon (Somebeachsomewhere-Southwind Solara) in 1:57.3. Normandy Beach was purchased for $90,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale. His dam won $1.06 million in her career.
Sianna Hanover (Donato Hanover-Simplicity) won by 3-3/4 lengths over Miller’s Tanyas Dance (Donato Hanover-Celebrity Speedie). Sianna Hanover was purchased for $115,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale and is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables, and J&T Silva Stables. Her family includes Dan Patch Award winner Winkys Goal and stakes-winner Southwind Wasabi.
Romancing Rachel (Muscle Hill-Tadys Comer) won by a half-length over Miller’s Southwind Prius (Muscle Hill-Honey Pie) in 2:01.2. Romancing Rachel was purchased for $60,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale and is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Howard Taylor and Weaver Bruscemi. She is a half-sister to millionaire Hez Striking and stakes-winner Tady Strikes Again.
Southwind Cobra (Muscle Hill-Caerphilly) won by a nose over Miller’s President Lindy (Cantab Hall-True Diva). Southwind Cobra was purchased for $120,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale and his family includes stakes-winner No Pan No Gain. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Jack Piatt II, Larry Karr, and Weaver Bruscemi.
The Miller-trained Annacloy (Art Major-Lislea Phia) won by neck over Burke’s Gotthisone Hanover (Somebeachsomewhere-Go On BB). Annacloy was purchased for $30,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Andy Miller Stable, Ervin Miller Stable, and Paymaq Racing. Her dam was a multiple stakes-winner.
Pleasant Roll (Roll With Joe-Pleasant Yet Bad) won by 2-1/2 lengths over Burke’s Gypsy Rose (Roll With Joe-Hat Dance Hanover) in 2:00.1. Pleasant Roll was purchased for $55,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale and is a half-sister to stakes-winner Weeper. The family also includes millionaire Badlands Nitro, who is a full brother to Pleasant Yet Bad. Pleasant Roll is owned by Andy Miller Stable and JT45.
Fly On (Muscle Hill-Calchips Finisher) won by a neck over stablemate Big Man Ev (Chapter Seven-Possessed By Lindy) in 2:02.1. Fly On was purchased for $55,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale and is owned by Andy Miller Stable, Arden Homestead Stable, and Gty Stable. Fly On’s family includes Dan Patch Award winner Blur.
“We were real pleased with most of ours,” trainer Julie Miller said about her group, which included Annacloy, Pleasant Roll, and Fly On. “They’ve been training down good all winter long. We’ve had high hopes for them. Andy was real pleased with the way they went today.”
The remaining two-year-old winners on Monday’s qualifier card were female trotter Chezatter and male pacer Every Way Out.
Chezatter, trained and driven by Trond Smedshammer for owner Purple Haze Stables, won by three-quarters of a length over Miller’s Cersei Hanover (Andover Hall-Celebrity Nike) in 2:01.3. Chezatter is a son of Explosive Matter out of the mare Chez Lucie and was purchased for $30,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale.
“She was professional,” Smedshammer said about Chezatter. “She left, let someone go, and came back and won. You can’t ask for more than that the first time.”
The Aaron Lambert-trained and driven Every Way Out (If I Can Dream-Every Play) won by one length over Burke’s Lots Of Lovin (Somebeachsomewhere-No More Loving) in 1:59.2. Every Way Out was purchased for $12,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Lambert. His family includes millionaire Cam Swifty.
In qualifier action among older horses, male pacer Dealt A Winner won in 1:49.3 for driver David Miller and trainer Mark Silva. Trotter Gural Hanover won in 1:53 for Gingras and Burke and trotter Fashion Creditor won in 1:54.4 for driver Brett Miller and trainer Tom Fanning.
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.