by John Pawlak, the U.S. Trotting Association

Columbus, OH — Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, JJK Stables and Howard Taylor’s Escape The News, once beaten in three trips to the post in March, left a good impression by winning his final start in the month just ended, and as a result was named March’s Horse of the Month by the U.S. Trotting Association.

Lisa photo

Escape The News was named March Horse of the Month.

That start came in the $57,000 Aquarius Series final at Meadowlands Racetrack on March 16, in which the son of Artiscape grabbed the lead early and went on to post a half-length, 1:49.3 victory under the direction of driver Yannick Gingras.

Earlier in the month, Escape the News got garden spot trips in two preliminary legs of the Aquarius, but was able to convert only one into a 1:48.4 victory on March 9, redeeming himself following a narrow loss in the series’ opening leg on March 2.

Escape The News’ win in the Aquarius was his richest versus open competition since a score in an $83,850 division of the International Stallion Stakes as a freshman. At ages two and three he chased others in several other major stakes, including the Breeders Crown (at two and three) and the Bluegrass Stakes, Governor’s Cup and Metro at age two, and the Little Brown Jug, Tattersalls and Progress Pace as a sophomore.

In 2013 Escape The News has hit his best stride for trainer and co-owner Ron Burke, and has won five of his seven starts and $92,875 — pushing his life earnings to $525,164.