Muscling up for the signature race at his home track, trainer Ron Burke has entered six horses to vie for the $450,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids.
The connections of 12 of the continent’s top three-year-old pacing colts and geldings have been entered to contest the Adios. The 2016 installment of the race is the 50th edition of the prestigious pace for ‘glamour boys’ that Delvin Miller founded and named for his foundation sire.
Two eliminations, each with a purse of $25,000, are set for this Saturday afternoon (July 23). The $400,000 final will be raced the following Saturday afternoon (July 30). The eliminations have been carded as Race 8 and Race 9 (it is estimated that Race 8 will have a post time of roughly 3:00 p.m.).
The most formidable of Burke’s six-pack may be Check Six, who finished third in the final of the Meadowlands Pace and has banked $576,442 in his career. He’ll start from Post 6 in Race 8. Burke will also send out Big Top Hanover, Fernando Hanover, Manhattan Beach, More Dragon and Stolen Glimpse. Yannick Gingras has been listed as the driver for all six Burke horses, so most of those assignments remain to be finalized.
Racing Hill, who was beaten only a nose by Control The Moment in the Meadowlands Pace (timed in 1:48.2), will contest the first elimination. Trained by Tony Alagna, the son of Roll With Joe-Chasing Ideals captured the final of the $500,000 Max Hempt and has earned $757,528 lifetime. He was also the runner-up in the Pepsi North America Cup. Racing Hill will start from Post 1.
Alagna, the only trainer besides Burke with multiple Adios entrants, also will be represented by American Passport, who finished second in the Somebeachsomewhere at Mohawk Racetrack. American Passport has neither won this year, nor raced since July 1. He’ll start from Post 5 in Race 9 for Scott Zeron.
The fields for Saturday’s Adios eliminations, in post position order, appear below.
Race 8
1 – Racing Hill - 8-5
2 – Western Fame - 10-1
3 – More Dragon - 12-1
4 – Stolen Glimpse - 5-1
5 – Lyons Snyder - 3-1
6 – Check Six - 5-2
Race 9
1 – Manhattan Beach - 2-1
2 – Big Top Hanover - 4-1
3 – Fernando Hanover - 5-1
4 – Another Daily Copy - 8-1
5 – American Passport - 7-2
6 – Rip This Joint - 10-1
(The Meadows)