by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Ron Burke won two Breeders Crown trophies last year and is poised to add to his total Saturday night (Oct. 9) at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

Burke leads all trainers with nine finalists, two more than Jimmy Takter and four more than Jim Campbell and Jeff Webster. Jonas Czernyson, Steve Elliott, Bob McIntosh, and Erv Miller each have four finalists.

Leading the way for Burke’s stable are defending Breeders Crown champions Buck I St Pat, in the mare trot, and Won The West, in the open pace. Burke also has Foiled Again in the open pace and Southwind Wasabi in the mare trot, plus Ginger And Fred and On The Glass in the mare pace, Fred And Ginger in the 3-year-old colt and gelding pace, Hugadragon in the 2-year-old colt and gelding pace, and Rock N Soul in the 3-year-old filly pace.

“A couple weeks ago we started looking at it and we figured this could happen,” said Burke, whose stable has earned $14.06 million this year, nearly equaling the record $14.82 million it won a season ago. “Hugadragon was the one we weren’t sure about. All the rest of them, I pretty well thought that we could make the finals. When (Hugadragon) got home (in his elim Friday), it looked like we had a good chance to have a real special night.

“Hopefully we can win a few of these and finish off a great year.”

USTA photo

Ron Burke will send out nine starters in the Breeders Crown.

Won The West is seeking to join Boulder Creek (2004-05) and Red Bow Tie (1998-99) as the only repeat winners of the Breeders Crown open pace. He won last year’s event in a stakes-record 1:47 at the Meadowlands. Won The West has won five of 15 races this year and finished no worse than third in any start while earning $1 million. His triumphs include the Canadian Pacing Derby and the $293,280 Molson Pace. He was the 2009 Dan Patch Award winner for best older male pacer and has won $3.12 million in his career.

Foiled Again has won seven of 19 races this season, including the $460,000 George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series final, and banked $676,510.

Won The West will start from post five while Foiled Again begins from post two, with top contender Shark Gesture to his inside on the rail.

“They’re both super,” Burke said about his horses. “That’s an interesting race to me. I’d like to know who takes a shot at Shark Gesture. I don’t think we’re all going to just line up. It’s going to be who takes a shot at Shark Gesture and where we get away from there.”

Buck I St Pat tries to join Mystical Sunshine, Peace Corps, and Grades Singing as a multiple winner of the Breeders Crown mare trot. She is a two-time Dan Patch Award winner as best trotting mare and has banked $1.88 million in her career.

“Other than the draw (post seven), I think she’ll be ready to go,” Burke said. “We may have to change her racing tactics and race a little bit different, but there’s enough speed in there. If we can get two or three to leave, then she’s fine.”

One of Buck I St Pat’s threats comes from Burke’s stable, in the form of Southwind Wasabi.

“Wasabi will like this track,” Burke said. “I really think she could be the surprise of my whole group. She was good at Delaware (fourth in the Ms Versatility); she had trot. She drew into the right spot at Pocono. The middle of the pack (post four) is not a bad place to start.”