BURKE BRIGADE DOMINATES GAITWAY FRESHMAN QUALIFIERS
Ron Burke-trained horses won eight of the 13 qualifiers for 2-year-olds on Wednesday (June 17) at Gaitway Farm, which hosted its second of three weekly sessions for freshmen pacers and trotters ...
MANALAPAN, NJ -- June 17, 2026 -- Ron Burke-trained horses won eight of the 13 qualifiers for 2-year-olds on Wednesday (June 17) at Gaitway Farm, which hosted its second of three weekly sessions for freshmen pacers and trotters.
Burke, who sent out 29 rookies during the day, swept the three qualifiers for 2-year-old male pacers – with Midwind Buxton, Rose Run Cowboy and Loud Luxury – before adding victories with colt trotter Pearl Of Hanover, filly pacers Lets Go Fishin, Win Me Over and Miss Chevious, and filly trotter Nevis Peak.
No other trainer had multiple wins with the 2-year-olds. Linda Toscano got a victory with colt trotter Captain Kenny J, Chris Ryder with filly pacer Wendy J Stings, Joe Bongiorno with filly pacer Alone Again, Christopher Choate with filly pacer Perfect Body, and Marie Dupont with filly trotter Sister Lise.
Rose Run Cowboy (a son of Huntsville-Blameitonthenight) was the day’s fastest winner, closing with a :26.2 last quarter as he rallied from third, 3-lengths back, to win by a head over stablemate Stonebridge Blitz (Tall Dark Stranger-Shouldabeenatd) in 1:54. Tim Tetrick drove the colt, who was purchased for $90,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Thomas and Scott Dillon. He was bred by Larry Schlabach.
Midwind Buxton (Stay Hungry-Scorn) got his second Q win with a gate-to-wire 1:55.2 score with Yannick Gingras in the sulky. The colt, a 1:56.1 winner last week, coasted home 2 lengths in front for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Brad Grant and Phil Collura. Bred by Midwind Farms, he was a $95,000 buy at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
Loud Luxury (Captaintreacherous-Shanghai Seelster) got the lead in a 1:01.1 opening half but soon thereafter was in the pocket behind stablemate Dirigo (Papi Rob Hanover-Summer Charm) on the way to three-quarters in 1:29. Loud Luxury and driver Tetrick found room inside and sprinted home in :26.4 to win by a half-length over Dirigo in 1:56. The colt, a $70,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase, is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Libby And Purnel, Knox Services, and Frank Baldachino. He was bred by 1876472 Ontario Inc. and Princeton Farms.
Pearl Of Hanover (Ecurie D DK-Passageway) followed stablemate The Reason (Father Patrick-Sherrys Lady) for three-quarters of a mile, in 1:30.2, before using a :28.3 last quarter to triumph by a half-length in 1:59.1. Gingras drove the colt trotter for Burke Racing Stable, Jim Simpson, Libby And Purnel, and Larry Karr. He was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms and purchased for $32,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale.
Miss Chevious (Tall Dark Stranger-Just Divine) came her back half in :53.4 as she rallied from third on the way to a 5-length 1:56.2 win that was the fastest of Burke’s three victorious filly pacers. Gingras was in the sulky for breeders/owners Bill Donovan, Craig Henderson, Joe Sbrocco, and Libby And Purnel.
Win Me Over (Huntsville-Winners Over) won gate-to-wire with Tetrick in 1:57.2. She is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Phil Collura, and AC Crawford Farms. Bred by Kad Farms, she was purchased for $120,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
Lets Go Fishin (All Bets Off-Fashion Fluzzy) won comfortably by 7-1/4 lengths in 1:58, with a back half in :54.4, for Gingras. She is a homebred filly for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Libby And Purnel, and Larry Karr.
Capping the Burke octet of winners was Nevis Peak (Walner-Ramona Hill), who trotted her back half in :55 en route to a 1:59.1 victory with Gingras. The filly trotter, who won last week in 1:59.3, was purchased for $250,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant, and Larry Karr. She was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms and Crawford Farms Racing.
Toscano’s Captain Kenny J (Captain Corey-Tuvalu) won the faster of the two qualifiers for male trotters, stopping the timer in 1:57.3 with Scott Zeron in the sulky. Purchased for $140,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, the colt is owned by Ken Jacobs and was bred by Crawford Farms.
Alone Again (Heston Blue Chip-Lonesome Day) was the fastest winner among the filly pacers, getting a pocket trip on the way to a 1:56 triumph with Bongiorno handling the driving. Bred by Docs Farm, she is a homebred for Let It Ride Stables and ownership partner Morrison Racing Stables.
Wendy J Stings (Perfect Sting-Paula’s Power) was just one-fifth of a second off Alone Again’s time as she earned a nose victory over Burke-trained Wish For A Captain (Captaintreacherous-Wishy Washy Girl) for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Ryder, and owner Ken Jacobs. She was bred by Thaddeus Wier and purchased for $127,000.
Perfect Body (Perfect Sting-Sweet Body) wrapped up the qualifiers for the freshman filly pacers with a 1:56.3 win for trainer Choate and driver Andy McCarthy. She was purchased for $20,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Randall Beach, Craig Smith, Charles Rowe, and Carl Austin Jr. She was bred by Vieux Carre Farms and Max Hempt.
Sister Lise (Father Patrick-Checkmate Time), a homebred filly trotter, won in 2:00 for trainer Marie Dupont, who shared ownership and breeding credit with Roy Dobbins. Donald Dupont handled the driving.
Qualifiers for 2-year-olds will return to Gaitway Farm on June 24. Post time will be 9:30 a.m. (EDT).
To watch a replay of Wednesday’s qualifiers, courtesy of The First Mile, presented by onGait, click here.
