Burke packs one-two punch in $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts

Plainville, MA — After scoring an impressive harness racing victory in the 2023 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot that saw him grinding uncovered from the half to the wire, It’s Academic returns to Plainridge Park on Sunday (July 21) to try and repeat in this year’s edition of the $250,000 trotting classic as one of nine starters who will make up the full field going postward.

It’s Academic, who is trained by Hall of Famer Ron Burke, will be joined by his stablemate Chapercraz, who is coming off an impressive victory of his own just one week ago in the $425,000 Hambletonian Maturity at the Meadowlands.

It’s Academic had a career year in 2023 with eight wins and $951,911 in earnings and as a result, was named the Aged Trotter of the Year in Ohio. He had a six-month break over the winter and after qualifying three times this spring, made his first start back at the Meadowlands in the $131,250 Crawford Farms Trot where he put in a very solid effort.

“He trained back very well, but we just haven’t been able to find races for him in the early part of the year. He only has one start back this year in the Crawford where he finished fourth in 1:49.2 and he trotted home in :26.3. So, with that as a tightener, I expect him to be very good this week. He trained well coming into this and he should be ready,” said Burke.

“From here on out, the schedule picks up a little for the older trotters and he has races coming up on Hambo day, in Canada, Lexington, Dayton, Indiana, so he will have a good share of work from here out.”

If It’s Academic were able to repeat, he would join only Manchego who went back-to-back in the Spirit in 2020 and 2021.

Chapercraz was purchased by the Burke Brigade just over a year ago and has been a very high percentage performer ever since. After earning just shy of one-half million in 2023, Chapercraz started this year seven out of ten in the money, but with no wins. But that changed last week when he won the Hambo Maturity on Saturday (July 13).

“He’s actually been racing just alright, but then he started to get better. I really thought he could have won the Graduate final on July 6, but we got locked in and we didn’t get out. But then last week, we got locked in and were lucky to get out and he got the job done,” said Burke.

“He’s really coming back around. He’s a big, heavy horse and it took him a little bit longer to get ready. But I think he’s our top older trotter for the next few years. He can do everything. He can leave, he can race from the back, he can race any size track. He’s really become a very nice horse.”

Proof of that is his winning the New York Sire Stake final at Yonkers and setting the track record at Buffalo, both half-milers, and he’s three for three on five-eighths mile ovals.

Burke also pointed out that both trotters will have their regular drivers on Sunday which is always important.

Another starter from the Burke barn on Sunday will be Beach Cowgirl, who will compete in the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace, which is the main undercard event to the Spirit.

Beach Cowgirl was a perfect four for four as a 2-year-old and a Pennsylvania Sire Stake Champion. Last year she added a number of Grand Circuit stakes to her schedule and eventually finished fourth in the Breeders Crown, only 2-1/4 lengths behind the winner, Sylvia Hanover. This year as a 4-year-old, she has transitioned nicely to facing older mares and Burke says she will be a player here.

“Beach Cowgirl is actually better than she looks. She really didn’t seem to like Yonkers, so we took her back to the Meadowlands for the Dorothy Haughton and she had no chance from post nine. But before that, she was really good, and I expect her to be very good this week. We look to race her aggressively this week,” Burke concluded.

The high-powered Spirit of Massachusetts card will also feature the $75,000 Bert Beckwith Invitational Pace, $50,000 John Hogan Memorial Pace, $25,000 Frank Dubreuil Memorial Pace and $22,500 Elmer Smith Memorial Pace. All told, the card will offer $607,000 in purses.

The Clara Barton will go as race seven with a post time of 4:00 p.m. and the Spirit of Massachusetts Trot is carded as race nine with a post time of 4:40 p.m. Post time for the first race on Sunday is 2 p.m.

by Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park