Glidemaster works on a half

Trainer Blair Burgess told harnessracing.com Wednesday he finally decided to supplement Glidemaster to the Yonkers Trot after he worked the colt behind the gate at Flamboro Downs in an effort to see how he’d do on a half-mile track. The workout came late last week, and although Burgess declined to reveal how fast the training mile went, he said he came away pleased.

“I worked him at Flamboro Downs off the gate and he was very good in the turns,” Burgess said. “But the gate speed will be a mystery for him still, I can’t teach him that this late in the game. We’ve raced him from behind so many times, that’s all he knows.

“What tipped my hand (to enter) is that he seems good and he can win the Triple Crown,” Burgess added. “He seems to be finishing up the year right and is as sound as ever. He has the possibility (of the Triple Crown) although he will have to do it over a half-mile track, which will be a mystery to both him and me."

Glidemaster has never started on a track smaller than a seven-eighths mile oval, which nearly kept Burgess from giving the colt a chance to wrap up the Triple Crown. The bid to win the final jewel came at a cost of a $60,000 supplemental fee to his owners, Brittany Farms, Karin Olsson-Burgess, Bob Burgess and Marsha Cohen.

“Our (training) track is between a five-eighths and half, so he trains on 3 ½ turns. So it’s not a big change for him that way, but it still doesn’t give him the racing experience going four turns,” said Burgess. “Horses like Algiers Hall and Here Comes Herbie have a big edge with that experience. (Glidemaster) doesn’t have the experience and he hasn’t got the gate speed, so those two things are his handicap.”

Glidemaster has seven wins and seven seconds in 14 starts this year, but hasn’t raced since finishing second in the Breeders Crown behind Majestic Son at Woodbine Oct. 28. With only eight entered there are no eliminations, which means Glidemaster will go 28 days between starts when he lines up for the $728,000 final Nov. 25.

“He is like a Thoroughbred; I’ve done that a lot of times,” said Burgess, who added with a laugh that he won’t even ship Glidemaster to Yonkers until the day of the race. “He actually races better off a break. He is great when he’s fresh.”

Burgess admitted that he believes Glidemaster should not only be a favorite for divisional honors in the United States, but also a contender for Horse of the Year honors.

“That’s not why I entered him, but yes I’d think they’d have to consider him (for Horse of the Year),” said Burgess. “Just for the fact that he is still up and standing this late in the game, not too many other horses are.”

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