My Girl EJ breaks in Jugette final after setting world record

For the Observer-Reporter

This has not been the easiest year for Hall of Fame harness racing trainer Ron Burke.

And it got a little tougher to take Thursday evening in the Little Brown Jugette final when My Girl EJ broke stride pacing in front of the grandstand at the Delaware (Ohio) County Fairgrounds and lost her chance at becoming the sixth 3-year-old filly pacer from The Burke Racing Stable, Fredericktown, to win the race.

The stunning turn of events came after My Girl EJ – a Breeders Crown champion in 2023 – scored a decisive victory in her elimination, winning in a track, stakes and world record time of 1:49.1.

Shot Soft, driven by David Miller, led every step of the way in the final and won in a rather leisurely 1:51. A Few Choice Words was second with Odds on Platinum finishing third and Dandy's Mercy finishing fourth.

Miller said he was aware that My Girl EJ went off stride and that left Soft Shot a clear path to the finish line.

Witnesses at the track attributed the break to a broken hobble hanger and that My Girl EJ's leg came out of the hobble, which would not allow her to finish the race.

My Girl EJ now has a career mark of 25 starts, 11 wins, nine seconds and two thirds with earnings more than $1 million.

After the elimination race, driver Dexter Dunn said My Girl EJ was "an awesome filly and had a great year.

My Girl EJ is co-owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Burke and Elizabeth Novak.