U.S. Hall of Fame trainer Ron Burke has already won two Grade 2 Spirit of Massachusetts Trots with Its Academic, but he'll be looking to add a third on the strength of a powerful pair of starters he will bring to Plainridge Park on Sunday, July 19 for this year’s $300,000 USD edition.
Burke’s one-two punch features the Dan Patch 2025 Trotter of the Year, Lexus Kody, and one of the hottest trotters currently on the circuit, Antognoni S. Both of these horses are coming off career years and have been stringing wins together this year as well.
Antognoni S came into Burke’s stable in 2024 and made his first start in January of 2025. And ever since then, he's had his trainer very impressed.
“The development of Antognoni has been just incredible. By the end of last year and right through the beginning of this year, he has been unbelievable. His turn of foot is incredible and I could not be more impressed with the horse,” said Burke
Last year, Antognoni S had 16 wins in 24 starts with three seconds and three thirds, compiling $668,888 in purses while racing across North America. And his success has carried over to this year. So far he is unbeaten in 2026 with five wins in a row, and an active eight-race win streak going back to last year.
“I feel that he is the best trotter in the country right now. I think he’s better than On To Norway, right now. I hate to ever go against Kody with him because he’s great too. But ever since last October, I told the guys, look, I know Kody is killer, but I think that Antognoni is better,” said Burke.
After being peerless at The Meadowlands, Harrah’s Philly and Yonkers so far this year, Antognoni S will come to Massachusetts to try and put another one in the win column.
Lexus Kody had a dream season in 2025 and the numbers certainly show it. Eleven wins in 21 starts with three seconds, four thirds, over $1.8 million in earnings and a 1:49.1 lifetime mark at Woodbine Mohawk Park that made him the first trotter in Canadian history to break the 1:50 barrier.
“By the end of the year, nothing was going wrong for this horse and he finally learned how to harness his ability to put himself in better spots. Actually the last bad thing that happened to him was when he tipped out of the hole and was going to win (The Spirit) last year, and just rolled off into a run,” said Burke.
His outstanding performances continued this year at The Meadowlands when he won in 1:49.4 to equal the track record there.
“Right now he’s just as good as he was last year. The first couple starts we weren’t really thrilled with, but he’s really seemed to come back sharp now. His preparation week to week is pretty simple and he sticks to a fairly normal training schedule. He’ll be ready for Sunday,” said Burke.
Burke is also bringing a pair of four-year-old mares to start in the $150,000 USD G3 Clara Barton Distaff Pace, which is the under-card feature to the Spirit of Massachusetts.
Rodeo Drive Deo was a seven-time winner at three, including a victory in the Jugette, with a mark of 1:50 and earnings of $856,492 for her efforts. This year she started out fast, but ran into an issue that has since been cleared up.
“Rodeo Drive Deo wasn’t good after she won her first start of the year in 1:49.4 at Pocono. She came back flat and we found a cyst in her throat and had a procedure done to have it removed. In her first start back after that (which was two starts ago) she was okay. But her last start she was really good, and she’s ready to race now.
“That last start, starting from way outside made her non-competitive, but she finished strong on the end. After the race, Yannick (Gingras) pulled up and said don’t worry, she was good tonight. She’s ready, I was just in an impossible spot.
“Now for the first time in weeks, she drew inside, her throat’s good and I am really looking for a big performance out of her. I’m certain that cyst was affecting her performance and by the end of the year, she’ll be right up with those top mares,” said Burke.
Champagne Room was a four-time winner in the Kentucky Sire Stakes last year and finished second in the final, but posted her 1:48.4 mark at Mohegan Sun Pocono before she went south. And her six total wins helped her bankroll $309,462 in 2025 before the end of the year.
This year she started out strong with a 1:50.3 win at Harrah’s Philly before going back to Kentucky for four-year-old stakes at Oak Grove, and this will be only her second start against older mares.
“Champagne Room has been in and out. She started the year great and then she kind of got flat. Timmy (Tetrick) said after her last start, don’t worry, I was just in an impossible spot. So she’s better than that line. In here she’s looking to figure it out, get a cheque and get her year going,” closed Burke.
The Clara Barton Distaff Pace is programmed as the seventh race on Sunday with an estimated post time of 4 p.m. and the Spirit of Massachusetts Trot will follow in race eight with an estimated post time of 4:20 p.m.
Post time for the first race is 2 p.m.
(Plainridge Park)