by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Only two pacers in harness racing history have surpassed $4 million in career earnings, so trainer Ron Burke is understandably enthused by the prospects of having two horses accomplish the feat in one year.

Won The West and Foiled Again, who between them have captured the last three Dan Patch awards for best older male pacer, both could reach the $4 million level in 2012. Won The West, who was sidelined for much of last season by tendon inflammation, needs $71,964 to join Gallo Blue Chip and Mister Big in the club while Foiled Again is $581,445 from the mark.

Gallo Blue Chip is the leading money-winning pacer in history, with $4.26 million, while Mister Big topped $4 million by $8,257.

“To get two over $4 million in one year would be pretty neat,” Burke said Thursday after Foiled Again returned to the track in a qualifier at Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey. “I’m excited for that.”

Mike Lizzi photo

Foiled Again was the 2011 Dan Patch Award winner as the sport’s top older pacing male.

Foiled Again was among two Dan Patch Award winners in action at the Big M. See You At Peelers won her second consecutive qualifier, following her 1:56.3 effort over a sloppy track last week with a 1:53.4 victory this morning. She won by 5-1/4 lengths over Krispy Apple with Brian Sears in the sulky for trainer Jimmy Takter.

See You At Peelers, who was voted her division’s best at ages 2 and 3, has won 22 of 25 career races and earned $1.49 million for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding and Jim Fielding.

Foiled Again, handled in his qualifier by regular driver Yannick Gingras, finished second to stablemate Clear Vision in his first trip around an oval since winning the American-National Stakes last November at Chicago’s Balmoral Park.

That win capped a season in which Foiled Again, at the age of 7, became the oldest pacer to post a million-dollar campaign. Owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and JJK Stables, he won 14 of 28 starts and earned $1.40 million on his way to the Dan Patch Award as best older male pacer.

In his qualifier, Foiled Again sat in fourth place for most of the mile. He paced his final quarter-mile in :28 and was timed in 1:53.3.

“Everything was super,” Burke said. “Yannick said he could have gone in (1):51 if he wanted to. He’s right on pace to do what he needs to do. I’ll probably give him one more qualifier and then go to the Levy.”

The George Morton Levy Pacing Series at Yonkers Raceway begins March 24 and concludes April 28. Foiled Again won the Levy final in 2010 and 2009. He finished third last season.

USTA/Ed Keys photo

Won The West captured Dan Patch Awards in both 2009 and 2010.

Won The West, who was the division’s Dan Patch Award winner in 2010 and 2009, is working his way back to the races. The 8-year-old gelding won $441,012 last season before being sidelined in September. He is owned by Country Club Acres, Strollin Stable and William Robinson.

“He’s probably a month to six weeks from coming back,” Burke said. “Really, he’s on his own schedule. Whatever he wants, we’ll do what he tells us. If he’s ready in four weeks, that’s fine; if it’s seven weeks, that’s fine too. He’s a big horse and it’s hard to get started until he drops some weight. You’ve just got to give him lots of work slowly over a period of time.”

In addition to Foiled Again’s qualifier with Clear Vision, Burke was pleased with 5-year-old pacer Meirs Hanover, who won a qualifier in 1:51.4, and 9-year-old trotter Speed Bomb, who edged Arch Madness by a half-length in 1:54.1. Speed Bomb has won $781,258 in his career.

“He’s one of my favorites,” Burke said. “He’s classy; there’s nothing to dislike about him. He’s going to go and bang out $180,000 to $200,000, which will put him right around a million (dollars). He’s the kind of horse you’d like to see get over a million, doing it the hard way in overnights. Even with the slots enhanced purses, getting to a million is a nice accomplishment. You don’t get to a million by beating nobody.”