by Ashley Mayotte, WEG communications
Toronto, ON — Ron Burke’s star trainees, 8-year-old trotting mare Buck I St Pat and 7-year-old pacing gelding Foiled Again, are two top contenders in the Breeders Crown, which is slated for Oct. 29 at Woodbine Racetrack.
Buck I St Pat, who won the last two Breeders Crown events for trotting mares, will look to score her third Crown. With 51 victories in 106 starts, the bay has banked $2,320,637 in lifetime earnings for Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold, Abraham Basen and Ronald Fuller.
Foiled Again, who was runner-up to stablemate Won The West in the 2010 Breeders Crown for open pacers, has 55 wins in 141 outings and career earnings of $3,082,305 for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and JJK Stables LLC.
The Canonsburg, Pa., resident takes great pride in developing older champions.
“It’s probably one of the things I am most proud about,” said Burke. “There’s been three 6-year-olds or older make a million dollars and it’s Maltese (Artist), Foiled (Again) and (Won The) West. It says a lot for us. We had them from the time they were three on and we were able to keep them going at that rate.
“I think a lot of people knock us and say we are hard on the horses, but I think the strong will survive,” he added. “They stay fit and fit horses stay sound, so I think they like it. We do what is always the best for the horse, too.”
True to his word, the conditioner has decided to shut down Won The West for the rest of the year after an old injury flared up. The 7-year-old pacer has found the winner’s circle 36 times in 103 outings and boasts $3,928,036 in career earnings for Country Club Acres Inc., Strollin Stable and William Robinson.
WEG’s communications department recently spoke with Burke in Lexington, Ky. To view the video on the Woodbine website, please visit this link.