Burke passes $20 million in 2016 earnings

by Ken Weingartner

Burke, pictured with Sweet Lou, passed $20 million in earnings for the fourth consecutive year. Mark Hall/USTA photo.

Trainer Ron Burke’s stable surpassed $20 million in purses for the fourth consecutive year on Monday night (Nov. 14) when Encore Deo won the seventh race at Yonkers Raceway.

No other trainer in history has ever reached $20 million in purses in a season. In 2014, Burke’s stable set an all-breed record of $28.4 million in purses.

Burke has led the sport in wins and purses each of the past seven years and is set to do it again in 2016. Burke leads the win standings with 799, holding an advantage of 397 wins over second-place Rene Allard, and has doubled second-place Jimmy Takter in earnings.

For his career Burke has won 7,471 races and $168 million in purses, both records. The majority of the wins and earnings have been accumulated since 2008 when Burke took over his family’s stable fulltime.

Burke was the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s Trainer of the Year in 2013 and 2011. His father Mickey was Trainer of the Year in 2006.

In 2013, Burke Racing and the partnership of Mark Weaver and Mike Bruscemi received the Owner of the Year Award.