THEY RE OFF: Ron Burke gears up for his first training set of the day with a partner close behind. Burke believes in training his horses together,

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1 THEY RE OFF: Ron Burke gears up for his first training set of the day with a partner close behind. Burke believes in training his horses together, encouraging them to challenge each other and making them more competitive on the racetrack. 46 HOOF BEATS JANUARY 2015

BUSY B A day in the life of trainer Ron Burke PHOTOS BY MARK HALL t CAPTIONS BY ALLISON CONTE TRAINER RON

t With up to 250 horses in training at operations from Pennsylvania to New Jersey to Indiana and down to

13, 2014, he set the single-season record for trainer earnings regardless of breed when his $28,118,465 in

t The Hoof Beats team went out to spend a day with Burke at The Meadows and see exactly what it takes to

Burke emphasized that his stable is so successful thanks to a family dedicated to dividing the

and effective, with teams at home and in each of the satellite operations that follow the program and work

Basically without the technology that we have today, there would not be my business, Burke said.

2 BUSY B A day in the life of trainer Ron Burke PHOTOS BY MARK HALL t CAPTIONS BY ALLISON CONTE TRAINER RON BURKE operates the single largest harness racing stable in existence today. t With up to 250 horses in training at operations from Pennsylvania to New Jersey to Indiana and down to Florida in the winter, Burke s mega-stable is racking up some mega numbers. On Dec. 13, 2014, he set the single-season record for trainer earnings regardless of breed when his $28,118,465 in purses topped Thoroughbred trainer Todd Pletcher s 2007 numbers. t The Hoof Beats team went out to spend a day with Burke at The Meadows and see exactly what it takes to run his stable. Burke emphasized that his stable is so successful thanks to a family dedicated to dividing the responsibilities and doing the work together, a program of exercise and maintenance that is both consistent and effective, with teams at home and in each of the satellite operations that follow the program and work hard. t Something else that we wouldn t have guessed also plays a major role: technology. Basically without the technology that we have today, there would not be my business, Burke said. He relies heavily on his staff and heavily on a tablet computer and a smartphone that keeps him in constant contact with the people and horses that he doesn t manage hands-on. t He has a system, and the system has made him the most prolific trainer in horse racing today. Hoof Beats presents one day in his life. HOOF BEATS JANUARY

t BUSY B 1 RISE AND SHINE 1 Burke begins the morning reviewing condition sheets and making sure horses are entered as soon as their classes are available.

2 After the entries are done for the morning, with the sun barely rising, Burke heads to his stable at The Meadows Racetrack for the day s training.

Burke coordinates with his second trainers at locations in New Jersey and Indiana to map out exercise and training schedules for horses stabled away from The Meadows.

3 t BUSY B 1 RISE AND SHINE 1 Burke begins the morning reviewing condition sheets and making sure horses are entered as soon as their classes are available. He emphasized the relief that USTA Online Entry has brought to the task of entering his massive stable. 2 After the entries are done for the morning, with the sun barely rising, Burke heads to his stable at The Meadows Racetrack for the day s training. 3 The onslaught of phone calls begins early every morning. Burke coordinates with his second trainers at locations in New Jersey and Indiana to map out exercise and training schedules for horses stabled away from The Meadows. 4 Upon arrival at the barn, sister Michelle Burke begins bringing him up to date on the morning, including which trainers are already ready to start going first trips. While Burke has just arrived, the caretakers are already in full motion, ready to swing into training action with his arrival. 5 There s not a moment of quiet for Burke in the early morning. Michelle manages the stable and keeps her brother on point and updated, even as he dresses in his training suit, readying to head out to the track HOOF BEATS JANUARY 2015

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t BUSY B TEAMWORK 1 Burke makes time for Sweet Lou. The pacer s presence is one that will be missed in the barn.

Sh**, I don t know if I really want to send him to stud. You don t know who you re going to replace him with.

On a busy day, he will schedule with up to eight sets of trainers.

He encourages his horses to race home in a fast final quarter of training, teaching them to finish their miles on their best

He employs four second trainers at The Meadows and four others at his private training center, located about 15 minutes from

5 t BUSY B TEAMWORK 1 Burke makes time for Sweet Lou. The pacer s presence is one that will be missed in the barn. As soon as he hit the wire in the last start, I thought I would be relieved that it was over, said Burke, but then I thought, Sh**, I don t know if I really want to send him to stud. You don t know who you re going to replace him with. 2 As soon as he is suited up, Burke heads out with the first set of two trip trainers, ready and waiting for him. On a busy day, he will schedule with up to eight sets of trainers. 3 Burke follows in the pocket in a two-horse set moving along the final turn. He encourages his horses to race home in a fast final quarter of training, teaching them to finish their miles on their best stride. 4 Burke navigates around the busy track with his crew. He employs four second trainers at The Meadows and four others at his private training center, located about 15 minutes from the track. With multiple hands on deck, it ensures that they move quickly and efficiently through the day s work. 5 The operation moves like clockwork. As caretakers come out of the barn to catch their horses coming off of the track, others are lined up inside with their horses ready and waiting to begin their work HOOF BEATS JANUARY 2015

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t BUSY B 1 JUGGLING ACT 1 Burke uses his helmet strap to hold his phone while correcting the training board.

He believes in taking his horses out twice to raise and lower their heart rates systematically, giving an effective cardio

3 In between trips to the track, Burke catches updates from other locations and speaks with Michelle about sending horses

4 As horses finish training and cool down they are loaded onto one of the trailers to head over to the private turn out

7 t BUSY B 1 JUGGLING ACT 1 Burke uses his helmet strap to hold his phone while correcting the training board. 2 While others have moved on to new tasks, Burke heads out for second trip trainers. He believes in taking his horses out twice to raise and lower their heart rates systematically, giving an effective cardio workout. 3 In between trips to the track, Burke catches updates from other locations and speaks with Michelle about sending horses to and from the turn-out farm that day. 4 As horses finish training and cool down they are loaded onto one of the trailers to head over to the private turn out farm. Up to 10 horses a day are trailered over, as the Burke trainees get a day off after training and two after racing. 5 After finishing work at The Meadows location, Burke heads to his private training facility a few miles up the road to check in on the horses in training there and set up their exercise schedules for the following day HOOF BEATS JANUARY 2015

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2 QUIET QUARTERS 1 The horses stabled at the off-track facility include many that are currently racing, as well as some returning to work from

2 The spacious and quiet 50-stall barn is an ideal location for horses on layoffs, tie-up horses that need turnout time or those that simply don

After updating schedules, he heads deliberately to the end of the barn and checks on the progress of one of his horses taking some layoff time

10 2 QUIET QUARTERS 1 The horses stabled at the off-track facility include many that are currently racing, as well as some returning to work from layoffs, plus a Field of Dreams for those that will most likely never return to the track. 2 The spacious and quiet 50-stall barn is an ideal location for horses on layoffs, tie-up horses that need turnout time or those that simply don t adjust well to a busy racetrack location. 3 It seems that nothing slips Burke s mind when it comes to his horses. After updating schedules, he heads deliberately to the end of the barn and checks on the progress of one of his horses taking some layoff time to recover from a soft tissue injury. 4 The private farm, nestled far off the road, features a halfmile track with the same dimensions as the Delaware County fairgrounds and plenty of turnout paddocks. HOOF BEATS JANUARY

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12 BRIEF RESPITE 1 Constantly ringing cell phone still in hand, Burke is able to take just a minute to get in some quality couch time with his dog, Max. 2 Although it s already been a busy day, there s still a little over an hour until first post at The Meadows just enough time for lunch at a favorite spot, Bella Sera, with supersupportive wife, Diane. 3 Burke credits Diane with keeping him on track with many of his daily responsibilities. She keeps track of racing licenses, as well as organizes his lists of which horses are at which locations, and daily lists of in-to-go horses. HOOF BEATS JANUARY

t BUSY B 1 A ROOM WITH A VIEW 1 With just a few minutes to post for the first race at The Meadows, Burke takes the back way

Burke sets up his list of horses racing that day.

4 Four horses raced and 22 to go. Diane s meticulous list helps Burke keep track of what he needs to be watching and when.

13 t BUSY B 1 A ROOM WITH A VIEW 1 With just a few minutes to post for the first race at The Meadows, Burke takes the back way through the casino to his private box. 2 The shoes are off and the races are on! Burke sets up his list of horses racing that day. 3 With televisions tuned to the right tracks so he doesn t miss a race, Burke checks his cell again. 4 Four horses raced and 22 to go. Diane s meticulous list helps Burke keep track of what he needs to be watching and when. This particular day: 26 different horses at seven different tracks. 5 Burke watches as his horse Winbak Sullivan (7) and driver Mike Wilder lead past the grandstand the first time. It was the first of two wins at The Meadows that day for the Burke Stable HOOF BEATS JANUARY 2015

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3 The next stop is Weaver s house, in the same neighborhood as the Burkes.

15 t BUSY B 1 PARTNERSHIP 1 One of the Burkes most involved partners, Mark Weaver, stops by to watch their horses race. 2 Once the races are finished, the two head out together, getting ready to wind down before setting up for the night races. 3 The next stop is Weaver s house, in the same neighborhood as the Burkes. With the next horse not in until the fourth at Hoosier Park, the partners take some time to have a little fun and shoot some hoops. Weaver s custom goal posts are a tribute to his two favorite horses: Foiled Again and Sweet Lou. 4 The two watch Masters Champion finish second in the first race at Hoosier Park. 5 After watching a couple of races, Burke heads out to watch the rest of the evening s races from home HOOF BEATS JANUARY 2015

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3 ALL IN A DAY S WORK 1 After letting Max out in the yard, Burke walks around the pool.

There s a television on the patio so that on nice nights there s another option besides being cooped up

3 With post times at Northfield Park and Hoosier Park going off close together, Ronnie heads back inside

At the end of the day, the Burke Stable had garnered four wins from 26 starts.

18 3 ALL IN A DAY S WORK 1 After letting Max out in the yard, Burke walks around the pool. 2 The outside patio is designed for comfort and convenience. There s a television on the patio so that on nice nights there s another option besides being cooped up watching races in the office. 3 With post times at Northfield Park and Hoosier Park going off close together, Ronnie heads back inside for multiple screens so that he doesn t risk missing one of his horses. At the end of the day, the Burke Stable had garnered four wins from 26 starts. 4 Diane, who was Ronnie s high school sweetheart and doesn t come from a racing background, says she doesn t watch most of the races, but sits down with her husband to watch Clearedfortakeoff win the fourth at Hoosier Park. To comment on this story, us at readerforum@ustrotting.com. HOOF BEATS JANUARY

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