Foiled Again 3rd in qualifer; big morning for Burke

After a Friday night in which his horses swept the featured races at the Meadowlands, Yonkers and Harrah's Philadelphia, trainer Ron Burke posted five victories in qualifiers Saturday morning at the Big M. Included was a one-two-three sweep in the last qualifiers with horses who have combined earnings of more than $6.8 million.

 

The last qualifier was the season debut of 2011 Pacer of the Year and 2012 Older Pacer of the Year Foiled Again, who enters 2013 as the richest pacer of all time with $4,625,984 in earnings. Driven by Yannick Gingras, the 9-year-old Foiled Again would have to settle for third behind stablemates Clear Vision and Atochia, respectively, who finished noses apart in 1:52.2, last quarter in :26 flat. Matt Kakaley drove the winning 7-year-old Clear Vision, a winner of more than $1.1 million who captured last years's Bettor's Delight at Tioga Downs.

 

The Burke-trained Camille scored her second straight qualifying win in 2013 with a 1:52.1 effort for driver Kakaley. Burke's Bettor B Lucky finished second with 2011 and 2012 Older Pacing Mare of the Year Anndrovette crossing the wire third for trainer P.J. Fraley and driver Tim Tetrick. The Burke-trained Rocklamation and Ramalama finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

 

Burke also scored qualifying victories with Hugadragon, who bested 2010 Meadowlands Pace champion One More Laugh by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:54.1, Rock N Soul, who led wire to wire to win in 1:54.3 over a strong field that included Handsoffmycookie, Ginger And Fred, Darena Hanover and Krispy Apple, and Tall Cotton, who trotted his mile in 1:57.