Berks has made it two victories in his last three races at Laurel Race Course, and as a result two important milestones are closer to being achieved. With the $28,800 the 4-year-old gelding collected for owner/breeder Jagger Inc. in the $48,600 allowance race, he boosted his earnings to $190,230 and is on the doorstep of becoming the 25th member of First Dude’s $200,000-plus club. At the same time, he lifted his sire’s 2023 progeny earnings to just short of the million-dollar mark at $966,339. 

    With Jaime Rodriguez up, Berks went wire-to-wire in the one-mile race, behind fractions of :23.59, :46.82 and 1:11.13. The Maryland-bred gelding turned back several challenges along the way, and in the stretch left his rivals scratching for second, scoring by nine widening lengths and paying $7.00. He earned an Equibase ‘E’ speed rating of 91.

    Berks raised his record to 6-1-2 in 17 starts, and he’s earned $55,570 of his bank account this year.