Meadowlands: Burke looks to play the role of spoiler in Brower Memorial

Trainer Ron Burke is hopeful having three horses in the field in Saturday's $158,140 Dave Brower Memorial at the Meadowlands will afford him the chance he needs to upset. Burke's stable is always a presence in major stakes races for older pacers and while this year he doesn't have the favorites, he still is optimistic.

"I think Lou's Pearlman coming back to the Meadowlands and getting the rail is probably my best chance," said Burke. "He's been racing well, and he loves this track."

Lou's Pearlman set a lifetime-best 1:47 4/5 winning at the Meadowlands as a sophomore but despite the post on Saturday is stepping up in class slightly.

The over $3 million career-winning This Is The Plan makes his first start in three weeks, but Burke is more than optimistic the veteran son of Somebeachsomewhere can rise to the occasion.

"He just wasn't right, so we took him back to The Meadows," said Burke. "He trained great the other day."

This Is The Plan landed post six, and though he sports just one victory in 10 starts this year, he's always dangerous in a field of this caliber.

"I think Ruthless Hanover's the one to beat," said Burke of the possible race favorite that landed post three. "But he's beatable."

Ruthless Hanover was brilliant in his 1:46 3/5 record-setting performance in the Joe Auger at Harrah's Philadelphia on May 28 but tried to leave too fast into the turn at Northfield in the Battle Of Lake Erie on June 10 and made a miscue. Tim Tetrick was in the bike for a prep for the Brower last Saturday at the Meadowlands and Ruthless Hanover was just beaten in a 1:48 2/5 mile. The Tom Cancelliere-trained 6-year-old is probably at his best when controlling the pace and could have the opportunity given Saturday's draw to do just that.

Burke's third horse in the Brower is Workin Ona Mystery, who landed post 11 in the second tier.

"He got off to a slow start but has been getting better," said Burke, hopeful that the 7-year-old can regain winning form. Drawing behind stablemate Lou's Pearlman in the second tier, Workin Ona Mystery could be forwardly-placed.

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Abuckabett Hanover, fresh off a 1:47 2/5 victory in the accident-marred Gold Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park on June 17, has returned as a 5-year-old in brilliant condition for trainer Andrew Harris. The son of Betting Line won his debut at the Meadowlands in 1:48 3/5 on May 27 and is now unbeaten this season in two outings after winning just one time in 14 starts as a 4-year-old.

Team Tritton will send out Lochinvar Art A (post four) in the Brower, along with stablemate Anothrmastrpiece N (post seven), but it's the former that will likely get the public attention given his rich history, as well as impressive current form. Lauren Tritton guides Lochinvar Art A, a winner of six of his 12 starts this year, with his biggest effort coming in the Battle Of Lake Erie at Northfield on June 10, winning in 1:50 over the half-mile track while taking down the lion's share of the $200,000 purse.

The Dave Brower Memorial pays homage to the longtime morning-line oddsmaker and on-air host who passed away suddenly last October. It was formerly called the Roll With Joe.

The Ohio-bred It's Academic fell a bit short to Venerate in the Cutler Memorial at the Meadowlands on May 20 and hopes to reverse that decision in their first rematch in Saturday's $155,140 Crawford Farms stakes event for open trotters.

"The draw is perfect for him because he's versatile," said Burke of the post three starting point. "He's been really good all year."

It's Academic is coming off a 1:51 3/5 victory over this surface on June 23 with regular pilot David Miller in the bike.

Venerate drew post four and he'll be making just his first start following the Cutler victory for trainer Marcus Melander. Brian Sears guides the 5-year-old who qualified on June 17 in 1:53.

Trainer Ake Svanstedt is again ever-present in another major stakes event, sending out four of the 10 in the Crawford. Ambassador Hanover (post one), Rattle My Cage (post five), Asteroid (post six) and Southwind Tyrion (post 10) give Svanstedt the numbers. Which one will be a factor in the Crawford remains to be seen, but Asteroid is an interesting newcomer who will be making his North American debut off a scintillating qualifier on June 7 at Pocono. Tim Tetrick will be in the bike.

On the undercard on Saturday at the Meadowlands, Burke is expecting big things from Celebrity Bambino, the Muscle Hill-sired colt entered in the third race, a $34,900 division of the W.N. Reynolds Memorial for sophomore male trotters.

"That qualifier [June 24] was the first time I thought he looked like himself," said Burke, sensing that his Hambletonian eligible may finally be turning the corner after going winless in his first three starts.

"I think we've found out that he's better with time off between starts," said Burke, whose philosophy is generally the opposite. "Sure, I like to race every week, but if he doesn't that's all right too."

Celebrity Bambino went by Hambletonian hopefuls Dire Straits and Volume Eight in his 1:54 3/5 qualifying win. He'll start from post five on Saturday.

Volume Eight makes his seasonal debut in the first $35,400 Reynolds division carded as race two. Last year's divisional champion with seven wins in nine starts, including the Valley Victory at The Meadowlands, has been brought along slowly this year by trainer Noel Daley, perhaps looking a month down the road to have his son of Chapter Seven sharpest. Volume Eight will meet one of the most-improved sophomores this year in Air Power, a winner in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final in 1:50 4/5 on June 2. Air Power, a son of Muscle Hill, has not raced since and starts from post seven.

Also featured on the star-studded Meadowlands card Saturday is a match-up between Jiggy Jog S and Bella Bellini in the $112,500 Six Pack, and the yearly debut of 2021 Horse of the Year Test Of Faith versus the undefeated-in-2023 Grace Hill in the $142,260 Perfect Sting. Post time for the 14-race card is 6:20 P.M. EDT.