On To Norway gives Burke a win at the Breeders Crown
Some shoes are made for walking, On To Norway’s new shoes were made for winning.
On To Norway became the fastest 4-year-old male trotter on a five-eighths-mile track and the fastest trotter ever at Scioto Downs with his 1:50 win over Emoticon Legacy Saturday in the $600,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown Open Trot at Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio.
The win was Hall of Fame trainer Ron Burke’s 25th Breeders Crown, the second most for training victories in the premier event.
It was Burke who decided to bring On To Norway “home” (to The Meadows) after last week’s win in a Breeders Crown division.
Burke explained he has a long association with his blacksmith and felt comfortable with them making the decision on new shoes.
“When I trained him this week, it was the best he’s been all season,” Burke said. “He had last year’s gait and this year’s maturity.”
On To Norway won for the 39th time in his career and has earned more than $1.5 million. On To Norway has won 12 of 15 starts this year for the owning partnership of the Burke Racing Stable, Fredericktown, Frank Baldachino, Black & White Stable and Michael Rosenthal.
The Muscle Massive-One Class Act gelding, who was bred by Bennett Farms of Michigan, paid $28.40 to win as the 13-1 fourth choice.
“I wanted to be near the front, and I was able to find a hole for a couple steps before coming right back out,” said driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. of his championship trip.
“To go by a horse like Super Chapter, who’s a world champion himself, and outlast Emoticon Legacy just speaks volumes of the horse and shows how great a horse he is,” Wrenn said.
Emoticon Legacy finished second while Antognoni S, a Burke-trained trotter owned by the Burke Racing Stable; Weaver Bruscemi, Canonsburg, Fac Rcg, NY; Y Gingras, NJ.
“When (On To Norway) is at his best, he’s as good as anybody,” Burke said. “He has an incredible will to win.”
“The original owner (Baldachino) stayed in, and he is as happy as we are.”
Baldachino was elated.
“I wasn’t worried, because he just keeps going,” Baldachino said about On To Norway. “He’ll just chase down horses until the wire. Naturally, you don’t want to ever see a trip like that in a big race … but he was just mowing them down, and the longer the mile went, the faster he was going.”
Down the Stretch
It was a tough night for 3-year-old filly trotter Little Road. The Roger Hammer trained and Brady Brown driven upstart won a division last week. But the supplemental entrant stalled coming to three quarters in 1:22.4 and finished up the track.
Nezuko Kamado S was the winner.
Burke-trained Al Papi – The Adios champion – finished second in the 464,500 3-year-old pace for colts and geldings behind Brandon Boulevard.
Melillo, who bested Brandon Blvd in the Breeders Crown divisional eliminations a week ago, went to the top and was challenged by both Al Papi and Brandon Blvd throughout.
Not being in the top three finishers was a bit unusual for Melillo, who entered the race with a 77.8 percent mark placing in the top three in his career.