For Ron Buker, part of the fun of owning Standardbred racehorses is sharing the experience with the whole family. That’s why on race nights, Ron, his wife Briana, and their three children all gather in front of the TV to root the horses on and share quality time together.
“What really got me into buying more horses was I have three kids. When we turn the TV on to watch the horses race, they would say, ‘daddy, there’s your horse.’ I would say, ‘no, this horse is all of ours.’ That’s priceless, a bond like that,” Buker said. “The kids absolutely love horses. When the horses do race on TV, we all sit together and watch, get excited. Win or lose, it’s a priceless moment with everybody together having a good time.”
Buker was a longtime patron of Dover Downs before he relocated to South Carolina for work. He always dreamed of being more than just a fan and took the plunge in January 2019, becoming an owner on the Delaware circuit. In the short time since, Buker or his Bukers Stable expanded to racing across the U.S., starting horses in 289 races. Horses owned wholly or in part by the Bukers have won 56 races, placed in another 86, and earned $634,009. The stable has also raced horses in Australia.
“I owned one and it wins, then you get the itch; you buy another one and then the next thing you know, you have a bunch of them,” Buker said.
One of the stars in Buker’s current lineup of 12 horses is Lady Dela Renta A, an Australian-bred daughter of Well Said who has won three consecutive races at Yonkers and will try to make it four in a row in the $25,000 filly and mare open handicap pace tonight (Thursday, Sept. 17).
Imported to the U.S. last summer, Lady Dela Renta A made an immediate impact, earning a 1:49.2 lifetime mark at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in just her third stateside start (on Sept. 3, 2019) for Blindswitch Racing and Dolne Farm. Bukers Stable joined the partnership this February and, as of August 27, assumed sole ownership of the standout mare.
Lady Dela Renta A looked to be a rising star last fall and winter, as she scored by a neck to win the local filly and mare open handicap on October 4, 2019 and three open wins at Saratoga from October to December. She entered the first leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series at Yonkers on March 13, but when the series was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, she headed to the Midwest. Lady Dela Renta A was winless in four starts in the distaff open at Scioto Downs before her connections made a change.
“When she was out there in Ohio, she wasn’t racing to her full potential. Since she is an Australian horse, I knew the one trainer who would be the best for her was (Shane and Lauren Tritton’s) 'Team Tritton.' I called [Shane] up and said, ‘I want to send her to you, you’re going to be the best for her.’ He said he liked her in Australia and they would gladly take her,” Buker said.
“They take really, really good care of her. I think she’s Lauren’s pet,” Buker said. “They key behind it all is taking care of the horse. They’re not out there racing her every single week and hard racing her. It’s not all about drying all the money out of her right away, it’s taking care of a good horse.”
Lady Dela Renta A, pictured in victory.
After making her last Scioto start on July 10, Lady Dela Renta A qualified with Lauren Tritton in the sulky at Yonkers on July 31. She scorched the track with a 1:52.2 victory and paced her final quarter in :27.2. Lady Dela Renta A then posted three consecutive pari-mutuel wins at Yonkers with Jordan Stratton driving: a three and three-quarter-length win in a $15,500 overnight on August 13 and back-to-back wins at the $18,000 level by one length and three and one-quarter lengths, respectively, on August 20 and September 3.
“With her, it’s the right trainer for the right horse,” Buker said. “It just goes to show that if you take care of the horse - because they aren’t machines - they’ll take care of you and then they show their full potential.
“When they qualified her, that was a 'wow' factor. She came back and won the first race, second race, and then the last race. This is for real here, she’s on a roll,” Buker said. “I think the first race stood out because I was anxious to see her in the first start with Shane and Lauren. After the first race, there was a lot of excitement. I think the last race stood out because she was in with a good group of horses and it looked like she won with ease.”
Lady Dela Renta A has drawn Post 3 for Thursday night’s feature and will have Stratton in the bike again. The pair is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line. Favoured at 5-2 is Snobbytown, a Ron Burke trainee who twice won and twice finished second in the local feature in four starts between June 23 and July 30 (her last pari-mutuel outing). She will return tonight off a runner-up finish to Caviart Ally in a Meadowlands Racetrack qualifier on September 5.
The field also includes Neverforgetwhour, who like Lady Dela Renta A, streaks into the filly and mare open handicap with three consecutive wins; she won local $15,500 overnights by a head, nose, and one length on August 13, August 27, and September 3, respectively. With regular driver Stratton opting for Lady Dela Renta A, Scott Zeron has gotten the call on the 9-2 shot on the morning line.
Coral Bella, who will be stepping up off of a win in the non-winners of eight condition last time out, Robyn Camden, Apple Bottom Jeans, and Imprincessgemma complete the lineup.
“I know we’re in with good company, but if any horse is ready to go 4-for-4, it’s her. She’s got the perfect draw, perfect spot. Jordan is the key man. He knows the horse, loves the horse, and when you can get a driver that loves and knows the horse like he does, you can’t lose,” Buker said.
“We haven’t seen her best yet,” he continued. “She hasn’t been unleashed yet; Her best definitely is yet to come. She hasn’t let it all out and I think we’re going to see a little glimpse of it (tonight).”
Yonkers Raceway features live harness racing Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights through December 22. First post time is at 7:12 p.m.
(SOA of NY)