Washington, PA – Hall of Fame trainer Ron Burke thinks 3-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 Grade 1 Winning Key Farm Hambletonian final, the second leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, Burke sees it coming.
“He’s a very nice horse,” Burke said. “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 3-year-olds. He drew post 6 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 $150,000 at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, has not been pushed hard this season. But the time has come for the lifetime earner of $532,802.
AI has won one race in eight starts this year, with two seconds and earnings of $137,729. His victory came 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 $395,073.
“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,” Burke said. “His bigger dances are all coming.
“Now it’s time.”
AI is owned jointly by the Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He was bred by Steve Jones.
The colt is not a total surprise. Last year, he set a track record at Buffalo Raceway, equaled 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,” Burke explained. “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,” Weaver said. “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,” Weaver said. “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. (EDT). The companion $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks is race 9 and will go at 3:36 p.m. The races will be shown live on FOX Sport 2 (FS2).
For free program pages, visit The Meadowlands website here.
Following is the field for the Winning Key Farm Hambletonian 101, with listed drivers, trainers and morning-line odds:
$1 million Grade 1 Hambletonian (Race 11)
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line
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 – Andy McCarthy – Chris Beaver – 5-1
8 – Magic Punk – Yannick Gingras – Åke Svanstedt – 15-1
9 – Spencer Hanover – Jason Bartlett – Marcus Melander – 20-1
10 – American Power – James MacDonald – Marcus Melander – 10-1
Elimination winners Apex and Big Ranger drew for posts 1-6. Morning line odds by John Rallis.