It was the Ron Burke and Chris Page harness racing show on Saturday night, Aug. 15 at MGM Northfield Park as the trainer-driver combo captured the first three Ohio Sires Stakes.
It’s Academic and driver Page captured the first of two $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for sophomore trotting colts handily in 1:55.1. The son of Uncle Peter-Annapolis-Muscle Hill was the 1-5 favorite, hailing from the barn of Ronnie Burke and upped his seasonal earnings to $150,572 and career earnings to $279,574 for owners Burke Racing, Bill Donovan, Joe Sbrocco and the Hatfield Stables. Danny Noble steered Doubleyellowline (3-1) to second place money with 18-1 Bold Strategy getting up for third with Kurt Sugg aboard.
Page returned to score another OSS triumph with the 3-year-old pacing filly Crowntimerockette in 1:51.3. The daughter of Pet Rock, out of the Feelin Friskie mare Crown Time Keeper sat in the pocket behind the leader and eventual second-place finisher 3-5 PJ’s Legacy (Ryan Stahl) before unleashing a hefty late kick to win at odds of 3-1. McMarkle Sparkle got up for third at 7-2 for driver Brett Miller. Crowntimerockette notched her sixth seasonal victory in 15 starts and pushed her earnings to $72,060 and her career earnings to $82,305 for Burke Racing, A. Schmucker, Jr. Weaver Bruscemi and L. Karr.
The Paige-Burke winning combo continued in the second OSS division for 3-year-old pacing fillies as 18-1 Rockngo BB scored in 1:53. Owned by Burke Racing, Frank Baldachino, Weaver Bruscemi and L. Karr, the brown daughter of Pet Rock, out of the Art’s Chip mare Gingo BB picked up her second seasonal win in three tries and now has $29,750 in career earnings for her connections. Favorite (3-5) Artful Dancer was second for Danny Noble and 8-5 Ellagator notched show honors with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. at the controls.
Action Uncle, the 1-9 favorite, took the second OSS contest for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings in 1:55 for driver Brett Miller and trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. The son of Uncle Peter-Action-Broadway, by Broadway Hall is now six for six on the season, with 2020 earnings of $166,500 for owners Carl Howard, Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills. Yanks Dougout (21-1) was second for Kurt Sugg with Buxton (99-1) third for Danny Noble.
by Kimberly Rinker, Ohio Standardbred Development Fund Administrator