Page And Burke Take 2022 Kaltenbach Honours

Sea Silk winning the Ohio Sires Stakes final in 2021

For the fourth straight season, driver Chris Page and trainer Ron Burke have captured the Kaltenbach titles.

The Jerry Kaltenbach Memorial Trophies were established in 1988 and are awarded annually to the driver and trainer who have earned the most dollars competing in Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) events in a single season.

It is the seventh Kaltenbach title for Page, who ties David Miller for the most titles won. Page started 74 OHSS events, winning 23 races, finishing second 15 times and finishing third eight times, earning $1,442,700. Last year, he had a 20-21-13 record from 95 starts and $1,252,900 in earnings.

Aaron Merriman finished second with 11 wins, 11 seconds and seven thirds ($812,650) in 70 starts, while Brett Miller who had finished second the past three years, slipped to third. Miller started 53 races and had a record of 6-7-11 record and $580,200 in earnings.

A total of 45 drivers participated in the 2022 OHSS events with 39 garnering at least one purse cheque. Fifteen had earnings over $100,000 or more, with 12 amassing earnings over $200,000.

The title was the fifth for Burke, who had 112 starts in the 2022 OHSS legs, championships and consolations. His total money earning from these OHSS events were $1,824,100, surpassing his 2021 totals of $1,734,200 in OHSS earnings.

Burke finished with 26 wins, 21 seconds and 14 thirds. Burke and Page shared success in 2021 and 2022 with Sea Silk (pictured above), a Downbytheseaside filly who went undefeated in the OHSS in both her freshman and sophomore campaigns.

Chris Beaver finished second for the third straight year with $620,400 in earnings with an 8-6-8 record from 67 starts. Christi Noble finished third for the second straight year. She had earnings of $403,400 with a record of 3-5-11 in 34 starts.

A total of 94 trainers participated in 2022 OHSS events with 18 earning over $100,000 and five with earnings over $250,000.

In the 32 years the Kaltenbach trophies have been awarded, Page and Miller lead all drivers with seven trophies. In the training ranks, Virgil Morgan Jr. has captured the title six times. Only two horsemen have won the Kaltenbach in both the training and driving categories — Sam “Chip” Noble III and Dave Rankin.

(Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)

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