Harness: Elite Trotting takes aim at the Hambletonian

With Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter retiring, there is clearly a seat at the table for a new trainer to dominate the Hambletonian landscape. Enter Elite Trotting, a group put together by trainer Ron Burke to succeed on racing’s biggest stage in the sport’s marquee race.

“It is mostly old guys that we’ve had before but there are new guys as well, and we are part of it,” said Burke on the members of the group, who include Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, Jerry Silva, and various others.

Despite leading North America in earnings nearly every year for the last decade, Burke felt that he was coming up a bit short when bidding on the top trotters at yearling sales.

“I felt that I was losing trotters that I wanted by one or two bids in the last year. So I said, listen guys, if we want to win we need to spend a little bit more on the trotters,” said Burke. “Everybody that I brought it up to was down with it.”

Between the Lexington Selected Sale and Standardbred Horse Sale, Burke’s Elite Trotting group took home six yearlings for a total cost of $1,195,000. He purchased four colts by Muscle Hill – Ontopofthehill (Lexington, $250,000), Fromming (Lex., $125,000), Shadrack Hanover (Harrisburg, $300,000) and Vinny De Vie (Hsbg., $70,000) – and one colt by Father Patrick (Cupid Hanover, Lex., $250,000). The lone filly purchase (Aperfectcrystal) was a Muscle Hill daughter of Asixpakfromperfect purchased for $200,000 at Lexington.

“We said we would do one filly but it would have to be an exceptional filly. We got the filly I loved the most in Lexington,” said Burke, who explained the pedigrees of his selections succinctly. “If you want to win Hambos you need to get Muscle Hills.”

Burke cited the example of Shadrack Hanover as the difference this year and in the past.

“This year the difference was on the last one I bought. I would normally go to $250,000 and I thought, no, we want this horse, and Jerry (Silva) said, ‘quit being cheap, let’s go’. So I moved it to $300 (thousand) because I have the confidence knowing that we are splitting it among us and nobody in this group is going to miss the money. It is all guys that can afford to take the chance and have fun. Some of the guys haven’t been racing at this level and for them I think it is going to be the most fun. But like Jerry says, ‘I’m 84, I want to win now’.”

The plan worked to perfection according to Burke, who said he got every horse he wanted except one, and the group spent only about half of the money invested.

While Elite Trotting was created with the Hambletonian in mind, Burke was quick to point out that he may have some other talent in the trotting ranks outside of Elite.

“Our regular group stepped out this year too and bought some unbelievable trotters that some of the people don’t even know about because we bought them privately. They are some of the best-bred horses we have, so we are deep this year in trotters,” said Burke.

Burke’s recent history in the Hambletonian is well documented and a bit of a cruel tale. In 2015, he sent out the freakishly fast Mission Brief. She won her elimination by 4-3/4 lengths but came up 3/4 of a length shy in the final as the favorite. The following year he sent out second-choice Southwind Frank and lost by only a nose to Marion Marauder. As bad as it was just missing glory in consecutive years, 2017 was even worse.

What The Hill wasn’t expected to be a strong contender in the 2017 Hambletonian, but he defied the odds and crossed the wire first for Burke. Then the inquiry sign illuminated. The trainer and driver David Miller stood outside the winner’s circle for what seemed like hours watching the replay of the race and awaiting a decision. What The Hill would be disqualified for interference to Guardian Angel AS and placed ninth.

With the bitter memories still lingering in his mind, Burke hopes to erase them permanently by the first Saturday in August of 2020 when the group of yearlings he purchased this year are ready to compete in the Hambletonian.

“If we don’t (win the Hambletonian), we are a failure. If we don’t do it, it is on me, because I have the right horses. There is no backing out,” said Burke. “I really think it will work and I want it to work because I want to do it next year.”