U.S. Hall of Fame trainer Ron Burke thinks three-year-old trotter AI will win a big race in the near future.
While it might not be this Saturday, Aug. 8 at The Meadowlands in the $1 million Winning Key Farm Hambletonian, the second leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, Burke sees it coming.
“He's a very nice horse,” said Burke. “He's either one of the best colts in New York or probably a step below.
“But, you know, in the last couple years, horses that I considered a step below have won this race. We're looking for the best trip possible with having him as sharp as possible. He was actually sneaky good in his elimination. We're trying to upset the apple cart.”
AI finished fifth in his elimination last week, 2-1/2 lengths behind winner Apex, to advance to the final of the 101st edition of America’s Trotting Classic for three-year-olds. He drew post six for the Grade 1 stakes and will have Ronnie Wrenn Jr. in the sulky. He is 12-1 on the morning line.
Burke said AI, a son of Chapter Seven-Image Of Bee who was purchased for $202,703 at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, has not been pushed hard this season. But the time has come for the lifetime earner of $737,561.
AI has won one race in eight starts this year, with two seconds and earnings of $191,438. His victory was on July 23, his start prior to the Hambletonian elims, in a New York Sire Stakes leg at MGM Yonkers Raceway. In 2025, AI won five of 14 races, with one second and four thirds, earning $546,123.
“He's just got rolling here lately, the last couple starts, but we haven't pushed him with the idea that we're going to have to go with him,” said Burke. “His bigger dances are all coming.
“Now it's time.”
AI is owned jointly by the Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania Hatfield Stables of Columbia, Ohio, Knox Services Inc. of Mt. Vernon, Ohio and Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. He was bred by Steve Jones.
The colt is not a total surprise. Last year, he set a track record at Buffalo Raceway, equalled a track record at Yonkers and won the New York Sire Stakes championship at Batavia Downs.
To compete with the likes of elimination winners Apex and Big Ranger, among others, AI will need to be at or near his best. Burke thinks AI’s consistency and ability make him a threat.
“It's consistency for him,” explained Burke. “That’s his biggest strength. He's consistent. He never has a bad day. He's just a good, consistent horse.
“I think there are points where he will win a big race somewhere in his career. I hope it's this Saturday.”
Mark Weaver, one of the owners of AI, said there was some debate whether to enter the colt in the Hambletonian.
“We honestly were on the bubble about putting him in the race,” said Weaver. “Bud Hatfield's the majority owner and it was a horse that Bud picked out and named. The other one he named was TCI, who ended up being a very nice horse. I guess he likes the initials.
“We just figured Bud's in it for the big races and we took a shot.”
Burke has never had a win in the Hambletonian, but he has been close. He finished second in 2015, when the filly Mission Brief finished behind Pinkman, and was second by a nose in 2016 when Southwind Frank was edged by Marion Marauder. The next year, What The Hill crossed the finish line first but was disqualified for interference in the stretch, the only time the race was decided by a DQ.
“We’ve finished second, second and then first in three straight Hambos,” said Weaver. “The one that we got disqualified. We've tasted it before, but it's been a while. AI was our best shot, and we took a shot and he drew well and we got Ronnie Wrenn driving.
“Certainly, there’s no pressure. Maybe something unforeseen happens and he could get a chunk of it.”
Racing begins at noon on Saturday at The Meadowlands. The Hambletonian will be race 11, with a scheduled post time of 4:51 p.m. The companion $500,000 USD Hambletonian Oaks (Grade 1) is race nine and will go at 3:36 p.m. The races will be shown live on FOX Sport 2 (FS2).
The field for the 101st edition of the Hambletonian is listed below, with drivers, trainers and morning line odds.
$1 million USD Hambletonian Stakes (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Minoan - Todd McCarthy - Noel Daley - 25-1
2. It Could Be Worse - Scott Zeron - Linda Toscano - 8-1
3. Apex - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander - 5-2
4. Big Ranger - Tim Tetrick - Anette Lorentzon - 2-1
5. Captain Naughty - Brett Beckwith - Per Engblom - 15-1
6. AI - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke - 12-1
7. Endurance - Andrew McCarthy - Chris Beaver - 5-1
8. Magic Punk - Yannick Gingras - Åke Svansted - 15-1
9. Spencer Hanover - Jason Bartlett - Marcus Melander - 20-1
10. American Power - James MacDonald - Marcus Melander - 10-1
Click here for free program pages from The Meadowlands.
(The Hambletonian Society; photo of AI winning the 2025 New York Sire Stakes final at Batavia Downs)