Dorsoduro Hanover goes wire to wire in Adios
Adios
Ron Burke leads Dorsoduro Hanover to the winner’s circle after it went wire to wire in winning the $400,000 Adios.
Holly Tonini/ Observer-Reporter
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Dorsoduro Hanover with Matt Kakaley in the seat wins the 52nd running of the Delvin Miller Adios at The Meadows.
Dorsoduro Hanover (5) leads Thinkbig Dreambig (8) and Wed Delight (7) the first time around in the Delvin Miller Adios
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
The winners circle was packed with about 200 people for Delvin Miller Adios winner Dorsoduro Hanover.
Horses race by in an early race at the Meadows before the running of the Delvin Miller Adios at the Meadows
Race goers take one final look at the past performances of the horses running in the 52nd running of the Delvin Miller Adios at the Meadows
Brad Burke holds onto the Adios winner blanket after the horse his dad Ron Burke owns and trains, Dorsoduro Hanover won the 52nd Running of the Delvin Miller Adios at The Meadows
MEADOW LANDS – Dorsoduro Hanover went wire to wire to win the $400,000 Delvin Miller Adios and thrust Ron Burke into the race’s lore Saturday at The Meadows racetrack.
Nearly 200 fans poured onto the track after the race to celebrate with the first local winner in the 3-year-old Pace For The Orchids since Burke’s father, Mickey, had May June Character with George Brennan in the sulky in 2007.
Dorsoduro Hanover with driver Matt Kakaley crossed in 1:50.1. American History was second and Hitman Hill was third. Dorsoduro Hanover paid $4.40, $2.80 and $2.60.
American History, which went off as the favorite, and Hitman Hill were last week’s elimination winners.
“We spent a long time chasing this,” said Ron Burke, whose second entry of GD Western Joe and driver Dave Palone, was fifth. “We’ve been close before so it wasn’t like we weren’t having success. We just couldn’t get over the hump.”
Dorsoduro Hanover broke to the front at the start and never let the lead slip away. He had quarter splits of 26.3, 55.1 and 1:22.3.
Dorsoduro Hanover used the same strategy in his last two races, a second-place finish in the Adios eliminations and Meadowlands Pace. There was never discussion on changing strategy even though the horse slightly faded down the stretch.
“I thought I had the best horse in the race,” said Kakaley. “We wanted to dictate the fractions, control it the best I could and take our chances on the front. Down the backstretch, I felt him coming on. We didn’t go a really hard third quarter. My horse was still great coming around the last turn. I had a lot of confidence.”
Dorsoduro Hanover held the pocket on the final turn and turned away challenges by Hitman Hill and Brett Miller on the inside lane and a tiring American History and Yannick Gingras, which was first over.
“I knew we’d win it,” said Burke. “I know my horse and I knew the fractions. I thought, wow, if he gets beat here, I am going to be really disappointed.
“He’s a good horse and he’s becoming a great horse. He’s one step below greatness. It’s a long year yet and he is a big strong horse.”
Dorsoduro Hanover will next compete in the Carl Millsteen Pace at Northfield Park in Cleveland in two weeks.
Dorsoduro Hanover chalked up his fifth win of the season and raised his season’s earnings to just over $500,000. He was purchased for $100,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg in 2016.
Burke, meanwhile, had a pretty good day with 27 horses in the money across the day’s card. He had seven winners in 16 races and Burke’s payday was just over $337,000.
But there is no price Burke can put on the fact no one is going to ask him when one of his horses is finally going to win the Adios.
“It’s a great thing,” he said. “It’s finally off our shoulders. Even when my father (Mickey) was training, we did it all together so whether it’s my name down or my dad’s name down, it really doesn’t make a difference.
“We can quit worrying about having to chase this race. It’s an important race but now it’s on to something else.”