Burke racing 5 horses in PASS finals; 9 in Indiana finals

Ron Burke, North America’s leading trainer, will have five entries in the four $200,000 Pennsylvania Championship finals for 3 year olds Saturday afternoon at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, plus another nine competing in Sire Stakes finals later that night at Indiana Downs.

 

Burke said he will be in Indiana because of the stable's large number of entries.

 

“My New Jersey crew can handle the horses at Pocono Downs but it’s too much for my guys out in Indiana,” he said.

 

Burke said he believes his best shot of winning one of the four PA finals is with the 3-year-old Real Artist pacing filly Ginger And Fred, a winner of six of 11 starts this season and more than $364,000 in earnings.

 

“Ginger is the class of the Pennsylvania Championship Finals,” said Burke. “She could go 1:50 and I feel none of the others in the race could match that. If that doesn’t happen she could let the others contend. I don’t mind having the seven post in the race.”

 

Dave Palone will be driving Ginger And Fred. Burke also has My Lady Bonnard starting in the 3-year-old filly championship race.

 

"My Lady Bonnard has lost her sharpness and is coming off her two worst starts of the season. We’ve tried changing a few things but haven’t seen dramatic improvement. I’d be looking for a check with her,” noted Burke.

 

In the $200,000 trot race for colts and geldings, he’ll have Salutation Hanover leaving from the seven post. He felt that his trotter is very consistent on the race track but needed to draw inside for a chance to win this race.

 

“The trot race, however, appears to have a pretty evenly matched field with Caviar Crown, Triumphant Caviar, Citation Lindy and And Heez Perfect,” Burke further offered.

 

The $200,000 three-year-old colt and gelding pace will have two coupled Burke entries, No. 1A Dan Carter and No. 1 Astounding Hanover. Dan Carter, with Dave Palone, will have to overcome the seven post while Astounding Hanover (Yannick Gingras) will leave from the four hole.

 

“Dan Carter is very consistent and is back on his normal schedule,” Burke said. “He’s very good and I’m pretty sure we’ll be on the front end in this race. My horse loves the racing surface at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Astounding Hanover is a closer. I also feel pretty good about our chances in this race, too.” (Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs)