Trainer Ron Burke, freshly over $200 million in career earnings, added another milestone to his huge collection when he earned the 9,000th training win of his career on Tuesday night (Aug. 15), winning with On The Virg at Northfield Park for the magic tally.
Ron Burke, pictured with one of his pupils (Ken Weingartner / USTA)
Starting the day at 8,994 career wins, Burke bagged three wins at The Meadows and one at Eldorado Scioto Downs during afternoon racing, running his tally to 8,998. His 8,999th came with Southwind Storm, as she finished a sweep of her four prelims in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series for two-year-old trotting fillies with a win at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
That win came at 9:14 p.m. Twenty-seven minutes later, the milestone win came at Northfield with On The Virg, who wasn't even favoured in a conditioned pacing event, but was 14 lengths clear of the field in 1:50 — reaching the achievement in style.
The night still wasn't over for Burke, as at 10:18 p.m. he won a New York Sire Stakes event at Saratoga Casino Hotel with Bicorne Hanover, the first step on his undoubted way to 10,000 career training victories according to official records.
(with files from the PHHA)