The Meadows: Irvine photo finish in father-son battle

In a nod to the Father's Day holiday on June 21, The Meadows played host to two father-son races one day prior, pitting multiple generations of drivers and trainers against each other. Management set the stage for a heartwarming outcome, and a family rich in harness racing history delivered with a thrilling finish, separating father and son by just a nose at the wire.

At the top of the stretch for the seventh race special event, it seemed as though even-money favorite Killer Instinct, with up-and-coming 24-year-old Justin Irvine, was ready to put away the field as they swung wide to get the lead. Little did Justin know that Dad was waiting in the wings, tracking his cover every step of the way. Perhaps with one final lesson for his son, Don Irvine Jr. edged past right at the wire to pull off the 17-1 upset with Junior Universe.

"We've raced together before but I don't think I've ever been in that position, like following [Justin] on the last turn like that. I had bumped him in the helmet on the last turn on purpose, you know," Irvine Jr. said. "And he looked up, he told me afterwards, he said, 'oh, damn, it's Dad. Then we went head-to-head all the way down the stretch, and I thought it possibly could have been a dead-heat. I said, 'I don't know if I got you. I think you got me but it's close.' It's different to have a stretch drive that far against your own boy like that, you know?"

"I really enjoyed the concept of the father-son race. It brought a lot of accomplished horsemen back into the bike again; not only my dad but the other dads as well. The only thing that could've gone better was if I beat my dad," joked Justin Irvine, who added that he's faced his dad a handful of times in the past. "It was nice for him to win. He's had lots of success in this business, so if that was his 'one last hoorah' it would be a fairytale ending to a storied career."

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Don is wrapping up a long career which has seen him win 7,687 races. While at 75 his career is winding down - he drove in just eight races in 2025 and was making his first start this year in the father-son event - Justin is in the midst of a breakout season, already at 268 wins (through June 23) and just 57 away from his career high set in 2025.

According to Don the decrease in starts wasn't so much by design but due to health issues that have kept him under the weather for the last couple of years. Whether or not he'll go out on a win versus his son is still up in the air.

"I feel pretty good right now, but I don't know if I'll drive a lot. [Justin] does all the driving and I only have a small stable," said Don, who pondered the thought of going out a winner. "Maybe I should just retire there, right?"

A man with far fewer career driving victories took home the second Father's Day race, but he also happens to be the winningest trainer in history. Ron Burke, who is closing in on 17,000 career training wins but has just 35 drives this century, pulled off the 5-1 upset with Classical Jane in race 10 on the card.

Although Burke's son Brad wasn't in the photo and finished fifth, it was a special moment for him to get behind the gate with his 25-year-old who is learning the ropes with just 87 career starts over the last two years.

"We've never been in a real race together and it was very cool," said Ron Burke. "I might make that my last drive ever."

Other father-son combinations appearing in the two races included Rodney and Kyle Bolon, Steven and Justin Walters, and William and Brian Zendt.