Burke perfect in Grand Prix series opener

Trainer Ron Burke went two-for-two in the first round of the MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series on Friday night (October 11) at MGM Yonkers Raceway, taking the $75,000 harness racing divisions with It’s Academic (Uncle Peter) and Chapercraz (Crazy Wow).

It’s Academic, driven by Jason Bartlett, lowered the track record for an older trotting stallion to 1:53.1 in his triumph. Starting from the outside post seven, It’s Academic got to the top before the 27.4 quarter, was unchallenged through middle-half stations of 57 and 1:25.1, and came home in 28 seconds to defeat pocket-sitter Take All Comers (Jordan Stratton) by a length and a half. Ghostly Casper (Pat Lachance) was third.

IT’S ACADEMIC REPLAY

That time of 1:53.1 knocked two-fifths of a second off the previous mark of 1:53.3 set by Major Athens back on June 25, 2016.

A 7-year-old stallion owned by Brad Grant, It’s Academic won for the 33rd time in his career and has now earned $2,634,323. The Dan Patch Award winner for top older male trotter a year ago, It’s Academic paid $2.70 to win as the 1-5 favorite and was atop a $5.80 exacta and a $22.20 trifecta.

In the second split, Chapercraz (George Brennan) was in front through stations of 27.4, 57.3 and 1:26.2, and while several closers made up ground on Chapercraz through the stretch drive, he was able to hold them all off to the finish line, winning by a head in 1:56.1. Ari Ferrari J (Bartlett), who was two-wide throughout but on cover, surged three-wide to the wire to get second and Bestfriend Volo (Matt Kakaley), who had space on the inside in the lane from the pocket, checked in third.

CHAPERCRAZ REPLAY

Chapercraz is a 4-year-old gelding and is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC. and Phil Collura. Chapercraz returned $5.40 to win as the 8-5 favorite and led a $28.80 exacta and a $165.50 trifecta.

Rounds two and three of the MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series are scheduled for November 1 and November 8, with the $250,000 final on November 15. The third leg and the final will be conducted at the distance of a mile and a sixteenth.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 7 p.m. (EDT).

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From Yonkers Raceway