Rick Wink gets the nod for Miller Adios Pace start

Rick Wink  (Bit Of A Legend N) might not be as well known as some of his fellow harness racing 3-year-old pacers in the Ron Burke Stable, such as Dan Patch Award-winner Louprint and world-record-setter Sippinonsearoc, but the colt will get the chance to step out from their shadows when he heads to Hollywood Casino at The Meadows for Saturday’s Adios eliminations.

With only one loss in 13 career races, Rick Wink will make his Grand Circuit debut against six rivals in the first of two $25,000 eliminations for the Grade 1 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, presented by the Mickey Burke Family. Rick Wink was supplemented to the event for $35,000. The top four finishers from each elimination, plus the fifth-place finisher with the highest career earnings according to U.S. Trotting Association records, will advance to the July 26 final.

Rick Wink will leave from post one in his elim, with regular driver Chris Page in the sulky. The son of Bit Of A Legend N-Mcgrin N Mcbare It enters the race off a 1:49.2 half-length victory over the aforementioned Sippinonsearoc in a division of the Ohio Sire Stakes on July 5 at Eldorado Scioto Downs. In his previous start, he won the Open II at Scioto in 1:49, the third-fastest mile of the season by a 3-year-old on a five-eighths-mile track.

“He’s the best horse nobody knows about,” Page said. “Ronnie has got five very nice 3-year-olds this year; sometimes a horse like Rick Wink gets a little lost in the shuffle. But he is for real. He can do it anyway you want; on the lead, from last, first-up. He’s turning into one of my favorite horses of all time. He’s just a cool dude.”

Rick Wink has won 12 of 13 lifetime races and earned $383,250 for owners Burke Racing Stable, RAS Racing, Knox Services, and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. The Larry Miller-bred colt was purchased for $27,000 at the 2023 Ohio Selected Jug Sale, and his family includes 2021 Adios winner Hellabalou and 2015 Dan Patch Award-winner Boston Red Rocks.

Page has been a fan of Rick Wink from early in the horse’s career.

“On the track, he’s got a great personality,” Page said. “He is very user friendly. He doesn’t wear a boot, he’s great gaited, and has exceptional gate speed if you want to use it. One race last year, I two-moved him early and he still had a third move coming home. I was like, oh my, this horse is for real.

“It looks like he went to the gym in the offseason. He came back big, strong, muscled up. He’s just a very nice horse, and he tries. He will not embarrass us Saturday.”

Rick Wink’s elimination includes Prince Hal Hanover, who was first-placed-second in last week’s Grade 1 Meadowlands Pace, and Twisted Destiny, the winner of the Grade 2 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes. Rounding out the field are North America Cup elimination winner Lite Up The World, Doncic, Knockout Round and Papi’s Rocket, another Burke trainee.

Twisted Destiny is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Chris Ryder. Rick Wink is the 3-1 second choice.

“It’s the tougher division, in my opinion, so it’ll be a good chance to kind of see where we’re at,” Page said.

Page has won the Adios in the past, bringing home Bythemissal from post seven for trainer Burke in 2022 at odds of 8-1. Beach Glass was second and Pebble Beach, the season’s eventual Dan Patch Award winner, was third.

It was Ron Burke’s second Adios triumph, to go with Dorsoduro Hanover in 2018, and third for the Burke family. Mickey Burke captured the race in 2007 with May June Character.

“I had a little luck the last time I was in this race, so maybe lightning can strike twice,” Page said. “That’s one of the most prestigious wins of my career, for sure. The (Little Brown) Jug, and then that’s a close second, because that’s Ronnie’s track, that’s Ronnie’s race. They always want to win it. That race comes well supported by the Burkes. You always want to do well for them on their home turf.”

Burke has three horses in the second Adios elimination: Sippinonsearoc, Swingtown and Railroad Station. Sippinonsearoc and Swingtown finished 1-2 in the 2024 Ohio Sire Stakes championship for 2-year-old male pacers, with Rick Wink being third. Page will also drive Railroad Station on Saturday.

The second division’s eight-horse field also includes Papis Pistol and Fallout, who were third and fourth, respectively, in the Meadowlands Pace. Papis Pistol, leaving from post three, is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for driver David Miller and trainer Sam DePinto.

Racing begins at 12:45 p.m. (EDT) at The Meadows. The Adios eliminations are races nine and 10 on the card. For free TrackMaster past performances, click here.

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting entries.

by Ken Weingartner, for USTA