Oct 29, 2023 By John Sacco for The Observer-Reporter newsroom@observer-Reporter.Com 4 min read

Trainer Ron Burke said Sunday morning that 4-year-old gelding Bythemissal looks like a “million dollars.”

Make that $2 million.

Bythemissal, Little Brown Jug and Adios champion as a 3-year-old, became a Breeders Crown champion late Saturday night, outdueling Tatoo Artist down the long stretch at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Anderson, Ind., to claim harness racing’s big prize.

On a sloppy track, Bythemissal won the $600,000 pace in 1:48. Burke-trained Lou’s Pearlman finished second and Tatoo Artist – who saw his seven-race winning streak snapped – was third.

Bythemissal was driven by Yannick Gingras and is owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Fredericktown, Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing and Weaver Bruscemi.

The horse has won 10 of 14 races (.714) this year with a second and a third. Bythemissal has won 24 of 31 (.774) career races and finished in the money 29 of 31 races (.935).

Bythemissal has career earnings of more than $2 million. Burke now has 20 Breeders Crown training wins, second most all time. Gingras has 26 driving crowns.

“The open pace is most important to us,” said Burke, a Canonsburg resident. “I knew he’d be good. I just didn’t know how good Tatoo Artist would be.”

Bythemissal is the first Meadows-based aged pacer to win the Breeders Crown since Burke trained the great Foiled Again, who won 10 years ago as a 9-year-old with Gingras in the bike at Mohegan Pocono Downs.

Burke has steadfastly said that Bythemissal was his stable’s best since Sweet Lou, a 2011 Breeders Crown champion.

Once he overcame an illness earlier this year, Burke said he was confident in Bythemissal’s possibilities.

“Once we knew he wasn’t going to die, I knew he’d be OK,” Burke said. “I knew there would be no pressure to get him back on the track. We were prepared to not race him the rest of the year.

“He looks really good. To me, he’s the new (Hall of Fame) Foiled Again. He’s a gelding so we’re going to race him. We will always do what’s best for him and his career. Bythemissal will go until he can’t. I think he’ll be able to race for a long time.”

Homebred filly win crown

On Friday night, Burke’s three homebred fillies swept the 2-year-old Filly Pace Breeders Crown division as My Girl EJ, Pass Line and Camerican finished 1-2-3 Friday night.

My Girl EJ handed Geocentric her first loss. She took off from the pocket with Dexter Dunn driving and stormed down the stretch to win in a stakes-and track-record 1:49.2 mile in the $700,000 Breeders Crown race.

My Girl EJ’s 1:49.2 lowered the stakes record for this division set nine years ago by JK She’salady – who won the 2014 renewal at The Meadowlands in 1:50.2. My Girl EJ also gave Burke his third victory in the 2-year-old Filly Pace, which he won in 2017 with Youaremycandygirl and in 2018 with Warrawee Ubeaut.

Burke Racing Stable bred My Girl EJ with Weaver Bruscemi and Elizabeth Novak.

“They’re not only our mares, but the first two (finishers) were our sires,” said Burke, who conditioned Sweet Lou from 2011 to 2014 and double millionaire All Bets Off. “It’s been a great run with these guys.

“I’ve said all along I’d never trade my filly for anybody else’s,” Burke said. “She’s as good as anything. She’s going to be an even better filly when she gets onto smaller tracks next year. She’s a top, top horse.”

Burke Racing Stable, Bruscemi and Novak share ownership of My Girl EJ with Howard Taylor. The daughter of Sweet Lou-Lucy’s Pearl, a full sister to Burke millionaire Lou’s Pearlman, won her fourth race in 11 starts and has $599,097 in earnings.

The news wasn’t as good for 2-year-old colt trotter T C I.

The horse entered the final against Nancy Takter-trained favorite Karl.

T C I had won 10 consecutive races since placing second in his career debut July 7 in a division of the Kindergarten Classic Series at The Meadowlands.

T C I is the richest 2-year-old male trotter in history, with his $1.08 million earnings, going into the Breeders Crown final, besting the previous mark of $936,191 held by Deweycheatumnhowe.