Brian Burton tried on a few careers before committing to harness racing, but his decision has paid off thanks
to Majestic Jackpot.
After sweeping the first leg of the Clyde Hirt Series, the four-year-old pacer returns for round two on Friday night at Meadowlands Racetrack. Majestic Jackpot is listed as the 5-2 morning line favourite in the fourth race.
Burton, 32, is a third generation horseman from Cambridge, MD, who initially pictured himself writing about the sport rather than sitting in the sulky. Burton graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore with a degree in English and secondary degree Journalism.
"My original goal was to be a writer, and my last semester I did an internship," he said. "I realized I liked doing it, but it's tough being a reporter. I worked for only five or six months before moving back home. I was going to the races with my father, Martin, and we had a good Meadowlands horse named Best Mood. That whetted my appetite for the horses more, but I got a good job for Cambridge International, traveling all around selling conveyer belts.
"Eventually, my father made me an offer I didn't want to refuse," he continued. "I had been driving our horses, and he wanted me to train them full time. We have an 800-acre farm, my uncle manages the crops and I operate the stable."
Burton had only been training horses for a year full-time when his father suggested they buy some better quality yearlings at the 2007 Pennsylvania Preferred Sale. One of those colts was Majestic Jackpot, a son of Real Artist out of the classy mare Caesars Jackpot, who won nearly $1 million and was clocked in 1:49.2 in a 1991 time trial.
"My younger brother, Jason, does all the pedigrees, and we were looking through the book and saw Majestic Jackpot," he recalled. "I had never had a Real Artist, but my dad knew they always tried hard. I knew [Caesars Jackpot] hadn't thrown anything spectacular, but she produced the kind of horse we were looking for, a solid raceway type. This sale was not for the kings of the back ring, so to speak. Let's just say there were a lot of local people there. He only brought $17,000. I had a look at him before the sale and his knees were funny looking, but he was worth a shot."
Though Majestic Jackpot did not earn any money in his four starts at two, he matured into the type of stock Burton had hoped for by the following year. Majestic Jackpot finished in the money in 12 of 21 starts and earned $72,615 during his sophomore campaign. His three wins at the Meadowlands included a career best 1:49.4 clocking with Ron Pierce in the sulky.
"Funny thing is, I've driven him myself five times and didn't make a dollar with that horse," Burton said. "My father thinks his 1:49.4 win at the Meadowlands was his highlight so far. I watched that one from home and he just exploded that night. That was my first sub 1:50 mile, and you can imagine my excitement. There are two races that stand out in my mind. Jim Morrill, Jr. drove him in the Mohegan Sun Series [April 25, 2009 at Pocono] and he was super impressive in 1:52.1. The night Brian Sears drove him in the mud in 1:51.1 [in a conditioned race June 13, 2009 at the Meadowlands], he took the lead past the half and just drew off."
Sears, who steered Majestic Jackpot to a 1:53.3 victory in the first round of the Clyde Hirt Series, has the driving assignment Friday night. Based on the driver's suggestions, Burton has worked on the gelding's hooves and adjusted his equipment.
"When he got beat by Real Joke [on January 2], Brian said he had trouble steering him out of the turns," Burton said. "He thought there was a problem with his feet, so I worked on everything. Plus, he was pretty hard to control in the hole, so Brian also recommended an open bridle. Last week, he was much more relaxed and look at the result."
Burton has another modestly priced son of Real Artist entered in the second race Saturday night at the Meadowlands. Izzy Real, a $5,000 purchase, finished fourth off a layoff last week and will start from post two.
"I'll probably end up racing five or six horses at the Meadowlands this season," Burton noted. "It would be nice if a guy gave me a chance and sent me a few of his colts to try."
(The Meadowlands)