Sometimes when you win more races than any trainer in the sport's history, it can appear that the job of conditioning top horses is an easy game. For trainer Ron Burke, who sends out top contenders in Saturday's Canadian Pacing Derby and Maple Leaf Trot, the fact that Bythemissal and Lexus Kody are even in the finals was something he wasn't certain about just a short time ago. "The owners weren't sure if we should go," said Burke in speaking about Bythemissal, a 6-year-old son of Downbytheseaside that had previously struggled to put two good races together over the course of his campaign. "Horses just aren't the same at different ages and you have to treat them accordingly," said Burke. "With Bythemissal he has foot issues that we've worked with." A fourth-place finish on Hambletonian Day in a division of the McKee Memorial at the Meadowlands was hardly encouraging for Bythemissal's connections. "I told the owners I'm going to try to get him right for this race," Burke said. "He was back to his old self in the Dan Patch and then again last week." Burke was more than pleased with the 1:46 4/5 career-best mile posted in one of two C$50,000 Canadian Pacing Derby eliminations last Saturday (August 23). In that race Hall of Fame driver Yannick Gingras blasted from post six and had Bythemissal on the lead in a 26-second quarter before settling for the pocket trip. Fractions were fast and furious, and Bythemissal moved off the pylons before turning into the stretch. Once there, he paced home in 26 and change to the record-equaling performance of Canada's fastest mile. Bythemissal landed post four for the final, and that will afford Gingras enough options in the C$690,000 race, with the other elimination winner Ervin Hanover starting from post six. Burke is taking a very watchful eye on Bythemissal this week. "I don't jog many horses myself anymore," said Burke. "But I had him out here today (Tuesday) and will train him tomorrow." Obviously key for the connections is to make sure Bythemissal is again at the top of his game on Saturday as the career earner of more than $2.5 million eyes one of the richest stakes events of the year. Bythemissal earned over $2 million combined with 24 wins during his 3- and 4-year-old seasons, but over the last two years has only started 18 times with six wins and under $400K bankrolled. Perhaps those statistics had ownership on the fence for the trip to Woodbine Mohawk Park, but given an exemplary performance in the Canadian Pacing Derby trials he's certainly the one to beat on Saturday. Ervin Hanover may have gone a full second slower in his elimination race, but trainer Dave Menary has had him on point this year, especially over the Woodbine Mohawk surface. A 5-year-old by Captaintreacherous, Ervin Hanover has won eight of his last 10 races over this surface going back to late 2024. Most of the power is along the inside in the Canadian Pacing Derby, with trainer Tom Cancelliere's pair of Ruthless Hanover (post one) and Maximus Miki (post five) finding their best footing north of the border. Ruthless Hanover, a now 8-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere, has taken a back seat to his stablemate but may be coming out of his shell at just the right time. In last week's preliminary he cut a well-rated mile with Ervin Hanover on his back and fought bravely to the wire while finishing second. Maximus Miki, a winner this year in the William Haughton Memorial, showed a solid late kick and finished third behind Bythemissal while individually timed in 1:47 3/5, the fastest he'd ever gone. Supplemental entry Sabonis seems to be first-over in nearly every race he competes in, and that trip did him no favors in his elimination race where Ervin Hanover enjoyed a perfect pocket trip. Sabonis did hold on for fourth and found a solid spot from post three for the final. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter While Bythemissal has been racing at the sport's elite tier for years, stablemate Lexus Kody has been dominant but at a level below the premier trotters in the sport. Given his effort in last week's elimination for the Maple Leaf Trot, it is quite clear that the 2025 edition of Lexus Kody is now a prime player. "He's improved with age," said Burke of Lexus Kody, who came first-over in his Maple Leaf trial (August 22) and won handily in 1:51, defeating division leader Periculum in the process. "He's trained like that for us, and we've been trying to tell Yannick (Gingras) that you can race him that way," said Burke of the uncovered trip. "In the past he could beat Open horses going down the road because he was faster, but you can't race him that way against the top horses." A 7-year-old by Ontario-based sire Archangel, Lexus Kody has raced well all year with few exceptions, one of them being in late July. "That race at Plainridge he went back to being 'Kody,'" Burke said, referring to the break in stride at head-stretch when it appeared he was on his way to victory in the Spirit of Massachusetts. Blessed with tremendous early speed, Lexus Kody seems to have found a perfect spot for Saturday's C$630,000 Maple Leaf final, having drawn post five in the middle of the 10-horse field. Still, eliminations and finals rarely look the same, and in this edition Lexus Kody will have to deal with a pair of Marcus Melander trainees possessing far more major race experience. Last year's Maple Leaf winner Periculum, a solid second while unable to out-sprint Lexus Kody last week, drew post four for the final with regular pilot Scott Zeron hoping to go back-to-back in Canada's premier Open trotting race. Stablemate Aetos Kronos S drew post three, giving Melander two of the likely favorites for the final. Aetos Kronos S became the fastest trotter ever on Canadian soil with his 1:49 4/5 victory in his C$50,000 Maple Leaf trial on August 22. Dexter Dunn guided the son of Bold Eagle (himself a Breeders Crown winner over this surface in 2019) to his sixth victory in nine starts this season. While Burke's stable will be well-represented on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park, the trainer has a host of quality 2-year-old pacers in his stable that could be making noise this Fall. "I'd have to say Frantic Hanover is my best," Burke said. "Al Papi and Melillo are horses I've bred and would like to say are better." Al Papi won in 1:49 2/5 at The Meadows in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on August 21 and although Frantic Hanover paced in 1:50, Burke has been more impressed with the Stay Hungry-sired colt that is undefeated in five starts this year. "I think Ubrute could turn out to be the best one," Burke said of the colt by Tall Dark Stranger from his champion mare Warrawee Ubeaut that won on Tuesday at The Red Mile in 1:50 1/5. "He's not an easy horse to drive and Yannick has done a great job with him. He's paced a few last quarters in 25 4/5 and you don't see 2-year-olds doing that." Last year Burke's 2-year-olds, led by Louprint, starred in late-season races and history may well be repeating itself with his depth in that division this year.