Harness: Ducharme's Berkery J seeks Empire Breeders Classic success

It's nearly seven years since Royalty For Life captured the Hambletonian and forever changed the fortunes of his trainer George Ducharme. The Massachusetts resident was catapulted from virtual anonymity on the national stage to a verified place at the table to buy and race against the best.

"It changed my life," said Ducharme. "It gave me the opportunity to go to yearling sales with owners that were willing to spend a little more money."

With some 40 horses in his care, Ducharme is currently stabled at Vernon Downs where he expects to be this Saturday afternoon for split divisions of the $97,750 Empire Breeders Classic for sophomore male trotters and $207,250 EBC for filly trotters. Berkery J, a gelded son of Chapter Seven that cost $205,000 as a yearling to purchase back in 2018, is on the cusp of becoming a player in New York and beyond if he continues his current ascent.

"I really wasn't happy the way he finished his 2-year-old season. He wasn’t trying very hard," said Ducharme about the reasoning for gelding the then colt. Before reaching his decision, Ducharme had spoken with Hall of Famer Chuck Sylvester, who campaigned Berkery J's half-brother Spider Blue Chip to a $1.26 million career that included a seven-figure sophomore season. “Chuck told me it made a world of difference when he gelded Spider Blue Chip,” Ducharme said.

Ducharme wintered at Spring Garden Ranch in Florida and had Berkery J qualified to race before everything was shut down. Eventually finding his way to Vernon Downs, Berkery J was impressive in his second sophomore qualifier, winning in 1:55 3/5 at Vernon on June 5 and then following it up with an easy victory in the first round of New York Sire Stakes competition in 1:54 2/5, a career best.

"You can definitely see the difference this year," Ducharme said. "He's got his mind on business and I'm very happy with the progress he’s made."

Berkery J had a solid juvenile season primarily in New York, winning multiple Sire Stakes events, but fell victim to a tough draw in the rich final and had to settle for a fourth-place check behind race-winner Third Shift.

Third Shift has returned this year for trainer Ake Svanstedt and captured the other Sire Stakes division at Vernon Downs, leaving Ducharme with the impression that he would be Berkery J's main rival in the Empire Breeders Classic. "I'm looking forward to see how he races against Third Shift," Ducharme said.

Berkery J drew post 4 in the second division (race 9) of the EBC while Third Shift starts from pylon position. Ducharme also has Double Dealing in the sixth race first split and Without A Warning in the race 10 filly EBC.

Berkery J is eligible to the Hambletonian and may make an appearance in East Rutherford following his engagements at Vernon Downs over the next two weekends. Rays The Limits is another talented sophomore in Ducharme’s stable that he expects will show up at The Meadowlands sooner than that. The son of Father Patrick took a 1:55 4/5 record in a Kentucky Sire Stakes event last year at The Red Mile.

"He's a nice colt. He finished third in the Kentucky Sire Stakes final last year," said Ducharme. "I've qualified him once here and think I'll send him down to The Meadowlands for qualifiers to see how he fits." If Rays The Limits performs well, he too could find a place in the Hambletonian.

On the sophomore filly front in New Jersey, Ducharme has not been pleased as of yet with the return of Fortune Starlet, who last year captured the $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final for juvenile trotting fillies, one of her two victories in just three starts. "We had a chip taken out last year," said Ducharme, explaining the missed time. "She hasn't performed to where I think she should be. We’ll make some bridle changes this week and see if that helps." What won't help the daughter of Trixton was the post draw for Friday's $121,000 final at The Meadowlands where Fortune Starlet landed post 10 in the field.

Ducharme is happy with the progress many of his 2-year-olds have made to this point and doesn’t mind if his horses are finishing behind some of the early speedballs. "It's crazy how fast some of these guys are going for no money," said Ducharme, not concerned when his horses don't flash extreme speed in June. Needless to say, he had a rather nice-looking Muscle Hill filly qualify this past Saturday that didn't finish near the top but was impressive nonetheless. Lindys Dollywood finished sixth in her first qualifier and fourth in her second, each time showing a solid gait and impressive manners. "Scott (Zeron) put her in some spots where she had to be checked and steered, and she was very professional," said Ducharme. Lindys Dollywood trotted a final quarter in 27 2/5 at the end of her own individually timed 1:57 clocking. "We're pointing her towards the first leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes," said Ducharme. "She's eligible to a lot of the major stakes." Lindys Dollywood is eligible to the Jim Doherty Memorial as well.

Media Mogul scored in a June 20 baby race at The Meadowlands in 1:59 4/5 and was a bit disappointing in his follow-up to that mile, but Ducharme insists the son of Muscle Hill is a horse we could be hearing about.

The Chapter Seven-sired Contested Hanover also captured her first baby race at The Meadowlands in 1:59 on June 20 but then made a break in his second start. "He got sideways on the turn and Scott (Zeron) couldn’t straighten her out. She’s definitely got ability," said Ducharme.

Contested Hanover was a $160,000 buy from last year’s Harrisburg Sale.

So Amazing is a rare pacer in the Ducharme stable and the daughter of So Surreal has been extremely impressive in baby races contested at Vernon Downs this year. A 1:57 3/5 effort on June 26 appears to set her up nicely for the debut of New York Sire Stakes action on Saturday afternoon at Vernon. "She's a homebred by people I’ve known my entire life," said Ducharme of So Amazing, who is owned and was bred by Dominic and Nancy Longobardi. So Amazing is a full sister to the $448K winning So Awesome.

Ducharme enjoyed some dual-eligibility success last year with a Royalty For Life-sired gelding Life Is A Feast. The trainer has conditioned few sons or daughters of his Hambletonian winner, but that was more about the logistics of racing in Ontario with his base of operations. "I sent him up to Ben Wallace to race in the Ontario Sire Stakes," said Ducharme of the 3-year-old. "I really don't know how some of these trainers are going to do it come September. Commercial truckers can go across the border but not individuals," said Ducharme. Unless border crossings are relaxed, many other U.S.-based trainers may have to cede command of their stock before some of the biggest races in North America.