It’s Academic looks to defend Spirit of Massachusetts title
At 0h48, on July 21, 2024 • By Tim Bojarski, Plainridge Park
After scoring an impressive 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 Dan Patch Older Trotting Horse of the Year. 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 a 1:49.2 mile) 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 a 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 Hambletonian 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 in 2023 at Yonkers and setting the track record at Buffalo, both half-milers.
Burke also pointed out that both trotters will have their regular drivers on Sunday which is always important. David Miller will drive It’s Academic and Yannick Gingras will steer Chapercraz.
