DRF HARNESS HOME DIGITAL HARNESS EYE HARNESS PPS DRF BETS ENTRIES ARCHIVE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 Burke well represented on stakes-packed Saturday Woodbine Mohawk Park card Inside this issue LISA PHOTO Perfect records on the line during Ohio Manchego (6) and Atlanta (4) resume their rivalry in Saturday’s Maple Leaf Trot. Super Night, Page 5 Jay Bergman: Creatine colt Jujubee By Jay Bergman That’s the positive news for the Burke-trained rising to the top in Pennsylvania, Page 7 gelding. The negative is the competition in the The sport’s leading trainer Ron Burke has seven-horse field, with Ontario’s best, Bulldog Darin Zoccali: Loopholes in the law lead reached the pinnacle of success from taking Hanover (post 3), and Meadowlands Pace and to interesting ethical dilemna, Page 9 the bumps in stride. Hempt winner Lawless Shadow (post 4), in the Frosh PASS finals take Friday spotlight “I don’t look at two and three week peri- mix. Add Rockyroad Hanover (post 6), a Cane ods,” Burke said. “I judge them by the entire Pace winner on August 7 at The Meadowlands at The Meadows, Page 10 season.” That’s the reason Burke remains and Southwind Gendry will need to be at his Road to the Mohawk Million - Week 3, cautiously optimistic heading into Satur- best to qualify for the September 11 final. days’ two North America Cup qualifiers with Despite his lack of wins, Southwind Gendry Page 11 a pair of sophomores that enjoyed brilliant has in fact had a productive season thus far On The Backstretch: Profile of trainer campaigns in 2020 but have yet to display for Burke. The same can’t be said for last Jack Darling, Page 12 similar dominance in 2021. year’s Breeders Crown winner Summa Cum “We’re skipping the Pennsylvania Sire Laude. Mohawk Analysis & Best Bets, Page 14 Stakes final with Southwind Gendry,” Burke “He’s been a sh** show,” said Burke, clearly said, indicating there’s confidence the son of referring to the numerous hurdles the Some- Industry Headlines, Page 15 Always B Miki is on the verge of something beachsomewhere-sired colt has been unable big. “I think the big track will do him good. He to avoid this year. Comments? Questions? seems to be turning the corner.” “I was happy with the last few starts and Email the Editor [email protected] Southwind Gendry won 10 of his 13 starts as thought he was getting back to himself,” said a 2-year-old, yet has found the winner’s circle Burke. “We had him entered in last week’s TO ENSURE PROPER delivery more elusive this year with just three trips in Somebeachsomewhere and when we were OF THE NEWSLETTER VIA nine starts. He landed the pole position in the ready to ship, he spiked a 102 fever, so we had EMAIL, ADD [email protected]. first of two C$50,000 eliminations (race 6) on to scratch.” the Woodbine Mohawk Park Saturday night com to your contact LIST program with Yannick Gingras in the bike. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 Ohio Sires Stakes Championships this weekend! Saturday, Sept. 4 at Scioto Downs $85,000 Veteran Championships 4-Year-Olds & Up Sunday, Sept. 5 at Northfield Park Charlie May $300,000 Championships Winning Ticket 2 & 3-Year-Olds © 2021 Daily Racing Form, LLC - 10 Grand Central, 3rd Floor, NY, NY 10017 Play Meadowlands Get Rewarded! 5% REBATE in SEPTEMBER Learn More CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 10), with This Is The Plan (post 1) and Cattlewash (post 6) entering the race in great form. Though winless in seven starts this year, Summa Cum Laude “The rail is a good spot for him,” said Burke. “He can get out of the could find his way back into the winner’s circle soon. On Satur- gate fast and get position.” day he landed post seven but has found a field that has struggled to This Is The Plan is in the midst of the best year of his illustrious live up to expectations this year as well. A less than perfect Perfect career, with a dozen first-second finishes this year in but 16 starts. Sting remains a formidable threat nonetheless in this group, having Yannick Gingras guides the son of Somebeachsomewhere. finished first or second in seven of his eight starts in 2021. Perfect Cattlewash enters the Canadian Pacing Derby after a less than Sting landed post 6 for trainer Joe Holloway. The field also includes impressive victory at Vernon Downs last Saturday night. stakes winners Abuckabett Hanover (post 3) and Whichwaytothe- “We’re going to have to change tactics with him,” Burke said. “I beach (post 8). think those 25 first quarters are starting to take a toll on him. He’s a While Burke’s sophomore pacers haven’t shown the consistency special horse.” yet at the top level, the same cannot be said for his older performers, The Burke pair won’t be alone in the Canadian Pacing Derby with specifically Atlanta. a host of Ontario-based and U.S. invaders making the contest a wide- “I don’t think she’s ever been better than she has in her last two open affair. Allywag Hanover (post 7) has been hitting on all cylin- starts,” said Burke of the victories in an Invitational on August 21 ders for trainer Brett Pelling and the 4-year-old gelding enters the at Pocono and a huge mile in the Steele on Hambletonian Day at The Pacing Derby following a record-setting 1:47 2/5 score at Pocono on Meadowlands. “The win at The Meadowlands, she blew right by When August 21. Dovescry and she’s been pretty good all year.” Catch The Fire (post 8) has captured seven of his 11 starts this year Atlanta seeks her second straight Maple Leaf Trot score on Satur- for trainer Todd Luther. His recent success includes victories in the day. The C$536,000 event goes as race eight with Atlanta starting from Dan Patch at Hoosier Park (August 13) and a Sam McKee Memorial post 3. “That’s a good spot for her,” said Burke. division at The Meadowlands on August 7. Atlanta meets a solid group that includes longtime rival Manchego Trainer Dr. Ian Moore has a solid pair that drew perfectly for the (post 7) as well as 2019 Hambletonian champion Forbidden Trade Pacing Derby, Tattoo Artist (post 2) and Century Farroh (post 4). (post 5). Beads (post 2) has been a powerhouse this year for trainer Century Farroh finished third in the 2020 edition of the race behind Per Engblom and the 4-year-old finally gets post consideration in the the Burke-trained Dorsoduro Hanover. Maple Leaf starting from post 2. The stakes-filled 13-race Woodbine Mohawk Park Saturday Burke sends out two in the C$590,000 Canadian Pacing Derby (race program has a first post of 7:00 p.m. Bax hopes Duly Resolved a Wellwood success at Mohawk By Ken Weingartner He’s not hyper or stressed out; he’s pretty laidback. “I think that’s one of the things that makes him stand out to me. John Bax knows Duly Resolved will face difficult tests in his He’s just out there strolling and acting like an old horse. He’ll go upcoming races, but the trainer is happy with the way his 2-year- when you ask him, you don’t have to go. You can drive him whatever old trotter has prepped for the challenges ahead. way you want. He’s not one dimensional, so that’s nice.” Duly Resolved is a neck from being undefeated in five races this The winner of the Wellwood Memorial gets an automatic berth in season and heads to Thursday’s first of three William Wellwood the Mohawk Million for 2-year-old trotters, which is Sept. 25. The race’s Memorial eliminations at Woodbine Mohawk Park as the 2-1 morn- other nine starting spots were purchased for C$100,000. Bax hopes the ing-line favorite for Bax and driver Paul MacDonell. The gelding second-year event becomes part of Duly Resolved’s schedule. will start from post three in a seven-horse field. “In a perfect world, he wins the Wellwood and I get a free ticket The top-three finishers from each elim and one fourth-place into a million-dollar race,” Bax said with a laugh. “(Otherwise), I finisher selected by lot will advance to the final. think he has one sire stakes race left and then the Super Final. He’s Mohawk also hosts two eliminations for the Peaceful Way, for eligible to the Breeders Crown. We’ll see how he is at that point, 2-year-old female trotters, on Thursday. The top-five finishers from whether we want to try that or not. If he’s healthy and keeps looking each elim will advance to the final. competitive, that would be on the docket.” The finals of the Wellwood Memorial and Peaceful Way will be Letsdoit S is the 5-2 second choice in the first Wellwood elimina- Sept. 11 at Mohawk. The connections of elimination winners will tion. The Swedish-bred son of Nuncio-Bacio won a Champlain divi- choose their post position for the finals. sion last week for trainer Marcus Melander and driver Doug McNair. Duly Resolved began his career with four consecutive wins, three King Of The North, the undefeated Peter Haughton Memorial in the Ontario Sire Stakes, before a second-place finish behind winner, is the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the second Wellwood elim- Temporal Hanover in a division of the Champlain Stakes last week ination and lightly raced Safe Conduct is the 5-2 choice in the third.