Twenty-three qualifiers went postward Monday morning at Gaitway Farms, and when it came to sending out two-year-old winners nobody was more effective than trainer Ron Burke.
He and driver Matt Kakaley took the first qualifier of the morning session with Wicked Ways, a two-year-old daughter of Captaintreacherous-Miss Scarlett, in 1:57.1. The pacing lass kicked home in :26.1 to win by 1-1/2 lengths for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Lawrence Karr, J&T Silva Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
That same trainer/driver duo clicked in the third qualifier with Uptown Hanover, a Somebeachsomewhere-Upside Surprise filly, in a clocking of 1:57.1. She sat the pocket trip throughout the mile before finding late room and using a :27.3 closing panel to win by 1-1/4 lengths for Burke Racing Stable LLC, J&T Silva Purnel & Libby and Michelle Yanek.
Burke then teamed up with teamster Yannick Gingras, and they captured the fifth qualifier with Peep N Weep, a Captaintreacherous-Number Please filly, in 1:58.3. The rookie stormed home in :26.4 to win by three lengths.
Burke and Gingras came right back to capture the sixth qualifier with Avenir, a daughter of Muscle Hill-Chic Chick, in 1:58.4. The youngster got away fourth, but came first over on the way to the three-quarter pole and then kicked home in :27.4 to win by 1-1/2 lengths. She is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc, J&T Silva Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Summa Cum Laude turned a two-hole trip into a 1:55.2 triumph in the seventh qualifier for driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Ron Burke. The son of Somebeachsomewhere-Western Graduate tracked Texas Miki through fractions of :30.2, 1:00 and 1:28 before launching home in :27.1 to win by a neck over stablemate Straight Talk in 1:55.2. The full brother to Im Some Graduate (1:50.3 - $488,883) is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Phillip Collura, J&T Silva Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Gingras and Burke then posted a win with Ice House, an Always B Miki-Tessa Hanover colt, in 2:02.1.
The colt rallied into soft fractions of :34.3, 1:05.3 and 1:35 before using a :26.4 closing quarter of his own to win by a pair of lengths in 2:02.1. W Donovan, Thomas Dillon, Purnel & Libby LLC and Joe Sbrocco share ownership on the freshman. He’s a half-brother to American Mercury (1:49.3 - $745,530).
Lous Pearlman gave Kakaley and Burke yet another victory on the morning session thanks to his 1:54 triumph in the ninth qualifier. The son of Sweet Lou-Lucys Pearl carved out fractions of :29.3, :59.3 and 1:27 before storming home in :27 to win by 1-3/4 lengths over stablemate Fulsome. Another stablemate, Literl Lad Hanover, was third.
Realization closed out the two-year-old action with a 1:57.2 victory for Gingras and Burke. The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Art Sale tracked Summer Squall through fractions of :30, 1:00.4 and 1:30.1 before sprinting home in :27.1 to win by 1-3/4 lengths. Burke Racing Stable LLC, W Donovan, Donal Murphy and Purnel & Libby LLC share ownership on half-sister to Rocklamation (1:48.3 - $2,281,795).
Some high profile and award winning three-year-olds were also in action this morning including Dan Patch Award winner Ramona Hill.
The daughter of Muscle Hill-Lock Down Lindy front-stepped to a 1:53.4 victory in the twelfth qualifier of the morning for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna. Brad Grant, Crawford Farms Racing, Robert Leblanc and In The Gym Partners own the career winner of $501,084.
O’Brien Award finalist Capt Midnight gave McCarthy and Alagna another winner thanks to his 1:51.2 score in the fourteenth qualifier. The son of Captaintreacherous-It Was Fascination took over command past the three-quarter pole and used a :27.1 closing quarter to win by 1-3/4 lengths for owners Marvin Katz, Kenneth Jacobs, Brad Grant and Capt Midnight Racing. The pacer went 6-for-10 last year while potting in excess of $385,000.