The Grade 1 $385,000 Adios Pace for the Orchids has a bit of a different twist in 2025 as it now has a title sponsor of The Mickey Burke Family. In many cases adding a sponsor to a race is just a monetary exchange, but with the Adios it is personal. "When they came to us it was really an easy decision. [The Adios] was really something my father lived for. Growing up it was the big race he wanted to win and when he finally won it with May June Character [2007] it was probably one of the best days we've ever had in the game," said trainer Ron Burke, who took over the stable from his dad Mickey in 2008 and wanted to honor the recently deceased elder statesman of the Burke clan. While he has barns in various parts of the country, Burke's base of operation is at The Meadows, and that makes Adios Day the one event where everyone under the Burke Racing umbrella can gather and enjoy the experience. "It probably means more to my family than it does to me. For my family it is home. This is the race they see every year. I go to every race and everywhere," said Burke. "It is the one time when we are all together; my family, Mark's [Weaver] family, Mike's [Brusecmi] family. That makes it special." According to Burke, the sponsorship with The Meadows – the Adios companion race is now called the Mickey Burke Adioo Volo as well – wasn't just a Ron Burke and family commitment. Many of his vendors chipped in and amateur driver/trainer Tom Svrcek also played a huge role. "Honestly I think I'm going to get more involved, whether it is just us or us with other people," said Burke about future sponsorships of the Adios or other events. "I have to give Tommy Svrcek credit. He reached out to me first and then my people to get it done. If he can do it in two weeks, what could we do if we started right now [for next year]? There will be people there at the races who have a good time and we can get them to be part of it next year." Burke will train five of the nine finalists for Saturday's (July 26) Adios (race 15), but he won't have his top 3-year-old gun after Louprint was sidelined due to a minor surgery. That $740,000 North America Cup winner is doing well and aiming for an August return. "Now it is not a matter of if he is going to race but when he is going to race. He'll tell us. I want to get at least one good qualifier in him before I drop him in to race," said Burke, who indicated Louprint may qualify in a couple of weeks. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter Burke's quintet for the Adios includes Papi's Rocket (Mike Wilder, post one, 20-1), Rick Wink (Chris Page, post two, 6-1), Swingtown (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., post four, 4-1), Railroad Station (Tim Tetrick, post six, 10-1) and Sippinonsearoc (Yannick Gingras, post nine, 12-1). Swingtown won his elimination on July 19 in 1:50 1/5, more than two seconds slower than Twisted Destiny's final time of 1:48. That discrepancy has Twisted Destiny (post three) and driver Dexter Dunn as the 2-1 morning-line favorite and the horse he bettered by a half-length, Prince Hal Hanover (Todd McCarthy), as the 3-1 second choice. The other two horses in the field are Makes Sense (Andrew McCarthy, post five, 20-1) and Wedlock Blue Chip (David Miller, post seven, 12-1). "I don't think any horse stands out," said Burke on the field in general. "I know they think that 1:48 mile is so much better than the second division, but they don't understand that if you time from the top of the lane to the wire, they went the same speed. Fallout stopped so badly [in the second elimination] that every horse in that other division was stopped to a walk and had to restart. I learned a long time ago that time doesn't mean anything. My horses finished fresh and raging." Burke provided a brief rundown of each of his horses' current form or chances on Saturday: "Papi's Rocket, I need him to be better. I made a lot of changes this week." "Rick Wink, I thought he needed the start versus that competition and he bled a little bit last week, just enough that I think Lasix will help him, but he didn't bleed enough that it will hurt him for this week." "Sippinonsearoc, Yannick will get him to the front. At some point him and Prince Hal Hanover will hook up. We aren't coming to pull back to ninth." "Railroad Station trained incredible and had tons of pace [last week]." "I think Swingtown [has the best chance] because of where he drew. I picture a great trip working out for him." Should one of Burke's five fail to win the Adios, the trainer can quickly start looking to the 2026 Pace for the Orchids with one of the many 2-year-old colts he has on the card. Al Papi and Melillo (race 10), as well as Frantic Hanover (race 13) are coming off wins and will compete in split $69,982 divisions of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes. He also has Loumelo Ball in race 13 who he called a sleeper. "We definitely have the next year contenders. Those are really good colts; especially Frantic Hanover and Al Papi, and Melillo showed off a little bit last week coming home in 26 flat under grips here," said Burke. "Loumelo Ball was sneaky good. I know people expected me to put him in the Stallion Series instead, but Ronnie [Wrenn Jr.] told me no. I went back and watched the replay. He was loaded." The Hall of Fame trainer decided to bring in a few extra horses just to have the opportunity to win as often as possible. "I brought a couple of fillies just because it is Adios Day. With The Fur and Loua Dipa are in good spots," said Burke. "We love to win races on that day. It is a day when people actually go to the winner's circle. It's fun and we want people to have fun and come back." In total Burke will start 23 horses on the 16-race card at The Meadows which starts at 11:30 A.M. (EDT) and will be nationally televised on FOX from 3 P.M. to 6 P.M. The program will feature $160,000 in guaranteed wagers, including a $10,000 Adios Pick 6 that starts in race 11.