Higher Fire Blazes to Win in Ed Burke

Higher Fire, who was an unlucky loser when a troubled third in the Kindergarten Futurity in her stakes debut on May 14, made no mistakes Saturday night and won the $1.145-million Ed Burke Memorial Futurity at Los Alamitos.

A 2-year-old Walk Thru Fire filly trained by Jaime Gomez and ridden by J.R. Ramirez, Higher Fire, who went off at 6-1, gave owner-breeders Denny Boer and James Streelman, who race as Dutch Masters III, their first win in the Grade I Burke. The victory was worth $464,100.

Breaking quickly in a field of 10 that was considered well-matched, Higher Fire was dominant, winning in a stakes-record 17.23 for the 350 yards. She narrowly missed the track record of 17.22 set by Corona Chick on Oct. 16, 1991.

With the victory, Higher Fire, who has won four of five, is the only 2-year-old eligible for the Los Alamitos bonanza. If a juvenile is able to sweep the Ed Burke, Golden State Million on Nov. 4 and the Los Alamitos Million on Dec. 9, his connections will receive a $1-million bonus.

Fishers Tale, the 3-1 favorite, finished second, ahead of Finding Nemo. The start was delayed when Identity Theft, the fastest qualifier for the Burke, who was off the board, acted up in the gate and unseated jockey Juan Vazquez, and when longshot Corona Crystal broke through the barrier and had to be re-loaded.

This was the second lucrative victory of the year for Ramirez. He rode Gold Nugget Rd to a nose decision over Love My Corona in the $262,900 Kindergarten.

-- Bob Mieszerski