More honors for Burke could be ahead
Trainer Ron Burke says harness racing could return to normal operations faster than other sports industries. Horsemen at The Meadows are awaiting word from state officials on when racing can resume.
By John Sacco
For the Observer-Reporter
Ron Burke has been Dan Patch Trainer of the Year three times in his career.
The Canonsburg resident and Fredericktown native is a strong candidate to win the award a fourth time early next year for his efforts in 2023.
Burke’s earnings for this year exceed $27 million and his horses have won four different races for more than $500,000 each and he trained two Breeders Crown champions — 2-year-old filly pacer My Girl EJ and older pacer Bythemissal, who is 4-years-old.
Bythemissal, a gelding, is a candidate for Open Pacer of the Year, while TCI, is the richest 2-year-old trotter in history.
Burke also trained Canadian Trotting winner Celebrity Bambino and top older trotter multi-stakes winner It’s Academic.
Another Burke trainee, M-M’s Dream defeated the great Jiggy Jog S a couple times during the season.
Burke is the top trainer in the Grand Circuit standings for 2023. He came in with 1,637 points ahead of Ake Svanstedt (1,405) and Nancy Takter (730).
The Grand Circuit season ended last month.
In May, Burke surpassed the $300 million mark for trainer earnings. He is the only harness racing conditioner to surpass $300 million career earnings.
Burke, the head of the Burke Racing Stable, Fredericktown, was Trainer of the Year in 2011, ’13 and ’18.
Muscling up
Muscle Jack, a 5-year-old gelding, has won eight straight, five at The Meadows and two at Pocono Downs.
His connections are hopeful he will put his winning streak on the line next week in a claiming handicap trot. His class didn’t fill this week.
Trained by Mark Goldberg for the Rags To Riches Stable, Muscle Jack has won nine of 12 starts in 2023 after missing much of the early part of the year. Jeremy Indof drove him to victory last week.
Two years ago, Dream Out Loud N, a 14-year-old pacer, won his last 10 races and 21 in his final campaign before mandatory retirement.
“He’s just a fun horse to drive,” said Dave Palone, who has driven Muscle Jack during the streak. “Once he makes the lead, it’s pretty much over. He’s going to fight off whoever comes to him. He’s just one of those horses you look forward to driving.”
Ironically, Palone was Dream Out Loud’s primary driver during his winning streak.
“It doesn’t have to be a top horse in the top class. He (Muscle Jack) is just a classy old fella.”
Simpson tops 100
Trainer Dirk Simpson reached a milestone earlier this month at The Meadows, earning his 100th victory of the season as a conditioner. It marks the first time since he moved his operation to The Meadows several years ago that he has reached triple digits in wins. He entered this week’s racing with103 victories, which puts him in second place behind Ron Burke.
“Reaching 100 wins is very significant,” Simpson said. “Also, to surpass $1million at this track is a big milestone for me and our crew.
“I have a great group of owners and clients. We changed a lot of horses’ faces in the barn. That helped. We started strong in the spring. We bought six new horses and have some fresh 3-year-olds.”
Simpson brought horses to The Meadows starting in 2011 and moved his stable to the track in 2012.
2024 schedule
The Meadows 2024 racing schedule has been approved by the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission. It will feature 170 dates, the same as 2023. The current three-day schedule, Wednesday through Friday afternoons, will continue through March.