Hightstown, NJ – Ron Burke will send out five horses in Wednesday’s $274,720 Grade 2 Progress Pace, for 3-year-old male pacers, at Bally’s Dover as he looks to add one more Grand Circuit victory to the best season of his Hall of Fame training career.
Burke’s horses have already earned a record $30.1 million this year – breaking the sport’s previous mark of $28.4 million set by Burke in 2014 – and registered 1,046 wins, the fourth most in a single season in history. Burke is the leading trainer on the Grand Circuit by a substantial margin and has captured a dozen Grade 1 stakes in 2025.
“It’s our best year ever; I could not be happier,” said Burke, who will end the season leading all trainers in wins and purses for the 17th consecutive year. “We’ve won a lot of big races and I’m really appreciative.
“We’ve also started the most horses ever (5,154 starts this year). We’re not getting younger and the core group of us that did it is the same group that did it before in 2014. We’re all 11 years older and still going at it like this, which I think is pretty cool. Granted, it’s not as easy, but we’re still doing it. I give everybody credit for putting the effort out and sticking to it.”
On Wednesday, Burke will watch his quintet of Fallout, Papi’s Rocket, Railroad Station, TH Colby and Swingtown compete in the Progress Pace, which is the final event of the Grand Circuit season. The remainder of the race’s nine-horse field is Dandy Ideal, the 5-2 morning-line favorite despite drawing post eight, Captain Optimistic, Madden Oaks and Fusion.
Papi’s Rocket and Railroad Station both finished second in their eliminations last week, with Papi’s Rocket a nose behind Madden Oaks and Railroad Station 2-1/2 lengths behind Dandy’s Ideal. Fallout was third and TH Colby fourth in the elim won by Dandy’s Ideal and Swingtown was fifth in the elim won by Madden Oaks.
Fallout, a recent addition to the Burke barn who made his debut for the stable last week, will leave from post nine in the second tier, with Tim Tetrick in the sulky, and is 6-1 on the morning line. Papi’s Rocket (8-1) and Andy McCarthy leave from post six while Railroad Station and Yannick Gingras and TH Colby and Corey Callahan (both 12-1) start from post five and seven, respectively. Swingtown (15-1) and Todd McCarthy got post one.
“For our two best already being retired to stud (Louprint and Sippinonsearoc), it’s not bad,” Burke said about his five finalists. “I would think Fallout will be better and Railroad Station has been real good. Actually, Swingtown had sneaky pace last week.
“There was one horse (Dandy Ideal) that looked better than the rest last week and he drew the eight-hole. He may still win, but it’s going to be a hard effort for him to get around everybody else there.”
Fallout, trained previously by Tony Alagna, won last year’s Metro Pace and was third behind Louprint and Sippinonsearoc in a three-horse photo finish in the Breeders Crown for 2-year-old male pacers. This season, the son of Captaintreacherous-Aria Hanover has hit the board in seven of 15 races, with one victory and $175,860 in earnings.
“I think there is a lot more there yet,” Burke said. “He’s just had an up-and-down year, and we’re trying to figure out why. We’re getting on the bus late, but he is wonderfully talented. I think the is talent there, it’s just unlocking it. At one point, he was Louprint’s biggest competition, that’s why we had a lot of respect for him.”
Racing begins at 4:30 p.m. (EST) at Bally’s Dover. The Progress Pace is the 10th race on Wednesday’s 15-race card.
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