Bono Bests back

Bono Bests enjoyed a well-deserved rest since competing in the Berry’s Creek at the Meadowlands May 6, and trainer Ivan Sugg has entered the bay to contest the first of three $100,000 divisions of the Burlington Stakes Saturday at Woodbine.

“I wanted to give him a layoff before the North America Cup and I figured that the Burlington would be a good tightener for him,” said Sugg, who co-owns the Pro Bono Best colt along with Blue Chip Partners. “He’s trained back well from the layoff and seems to be alright.”

Bono Bests has made 14 starts this campaign – more than any Burlington participant – and has amassed a seasonal record of 7-1-4. The career winner of 11 races and $157,918 in purses captured the finals of both the Snowshoe and the Count B Series earlier this year at Woodbine before shipping to the Meadowlands to contest the Matt’s Scooter, Suslow and Berry’s Creek.

“He had gotten a little too hot by about his third start down at the Meadowlands and we had to get him slowed down a little bit,” said Sugg, who bred the colt. “He raced well in the Berry’s Creek final and he was good in the elimination as well. He had to learn how to come from off the pace a little bit more than what he had been; he couldn’t handle the pressure of being a front-end horse.”

The colt showed a tremendous late kick in both of his Berry’s Creek dashes, and after the final was turned out at Sugg’s farm in Ohio.

“Before the Berry’s Creek final I wasn’t too sure if he was the type of horse who could compete in the Burlington and North America Cup. I had thought he was a couple of times, but then he went a couple of bad races,” Sugg said about Bono Bests, who had a chip removed near the end of his 2-year-old season before being turned out. “I knew we had to get him shut down a little bit. The way he raced in the Berry’s Creek final convinced me that he was the type of horse that could compete at the top level.”

Bono Bests has been named the 8-5 morning line favorite for his Burlington tilt and David Miller has been retained to drive.

The Burlington fields are listed below.

Division #1
Post Position – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer

1 – Actionuke – Jack Moiseyev – R. McNair – 20-1
2 – Armbro Domi – M. Saftic – G. Gordon – 12-1
3 – Sinister Hall – C. Christoforou – R. Laarman – 8-1
4 – Perfect Union – G. Brennan – J. Silverman – 5-1
5 – Total Truth – R. Pierce – G. Teague Jr. – 5-2
6 – Bono Bests – D. Miller – I. Sugg – 8-5
7 – Ideal Michael – L. Ouellette – W. Elliott – 12-1
8 – Cammabis – J. Jamieson – T. Gray – 3-1
9 – Fox Valley Appeal – Ra. Waples – J. Smith – 5-1

Note: All horses will be racing from the Retention Barn.

Division #2
Post Position – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer

1 – Cookerosa – G. Brennan – M. Capone – 7-2
2 – Village Jiggle – Ma. MacDonald – W. Elliott – 12-1
3 – Green Sign – M. Baillargeon – B. Wallace – 7-1
4 – JandJ Art – K. Wallis – A. Tomlinson – 30-1
5 – Impeccable – Ra. Waples – Dr. I. Moore – 15-1
6 – Western Ace – R. Pierce – G. Teague Jr. – 3-2
7 – Joe To Go – L. Ouellette – J. Seekman – 20-1
8 – Tyrant Hanover – D. Miller – M. Ford – 10-1
9 – Armbro Dynamic – R. Zeron – R. McIntosh – 6-1
10 – Eagle Luck – M. Saftic – R. McNair – 25-1

Note: All horses will be racing from the Retention Barn.

Division #3
Post Position – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer
1 – Poker Dice – L. Ouellette – W. Elliott – 15-1
2 – Perfect Magic – R. Pierce – W. Elliott – 25-1
3 – Touchtown – G. Grismore – S. Cox – 7-1
4 – Matty McGee – A. MacDonald – S. Atkinson – 30-1
5 – Mr Feelgood – Ma. MacDonald – J. Takter – 8-1
6 – Toucam Sam – M. Saftic – G. Gordon – 25-1
7 – Doonbeg – J. Jamieson – J. Dean – 5-1
8 – Gran Sasso – C. Christoforou – J. Stutzman – 12-1
9 – Jeremes Jet – P. MacDonell – T. Harmer – 3-5
10 – Western Search – D. Miller – M. Ford – 15-1

Note: All horses will be racing from the Retention Barn.

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