Louprint encountered the sort of trip that would discourage many freshmen, yet when he charged through the lane to a 3-1/4-length victory, he was under wraps. That’s how impressively he won his $85,894 Pennsylvania Sires Stake division on Friday, Aug. 16 at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Go Go Grasshopper and Th Colby captured the other divisions of the stake, known as the Tyler B, for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers.
Louprint was hammered down to 1-5, but he was forced to drop briefly into fifth thanks to a contentious first quarter. The son of Sweet Lou-Rockin Racer pulled second over down the backside only to have his cover stall. Finally, Louprint charged three wide near the three-quarters and scored easily, even as winning driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. held him with a firm grip. He triumphed in a career-best 1:51.2 while Currys Flurry and Fasting completed the ticket.
“With everyone leaving I decided to trip him out,” Wrenn said. “He paced home pretty strong. I didn’t think I had to use him too much, to be honest. He did that really easy. I think he’s one of the best colts in the country. He can do some things that other horses can’t.”
Eligible in Pennsylvania and Kentucky, Louprint is a homebred for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Phillip Collura. Winning trainer Ron Burke said there never was a thought of sending him through the auction ring.
“We keep all our homebreds,” Burke said. “We’re breeding them with the idea of racing them. I think he’s our best colt — maybe in a long time.”
Go Go Grasshopper’s $85,894 race unfolded oddly, with three successive quarter-pole moves. Go Go Grasshopper made the second of those moves, and when the dust settled, the son of Sweet Lou-Faster Faster found himself in the most enviable position — in the pocket behind Railroad Station. Go Go Grasshopper kicked by in the Lightning Lane and downed Railroad Station by a length in 1:50.4, a new life mark. Prince Hal Hanover was third.
“We got a good trip behind probably one of the better ones in the whole sires stake division, and we went by him pretty easily,” said winning trainer/driver Joe Bongiorno. “I let him get through the last turn safely and then let him pace home.”
Let It Ride Stables Inc, Odds On Racing and Jb Racing campaign Go Go Grasshopper.
TH Colby skimmed the pylons for driver Todd McCarthy to emerge victorious in the third and final $86,442 division, picking off former Tara Hills paddock pal TH Kay C Crunch (David Miller) in a lifetime best 1:50.1 effort.
The win was one of five on the day for Ron Burke, who conditions the son of Papi Rob Hanover - Fade for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Phillip Collura, Larry Karr, and Jandt Silva- Purnel And Libby.
PA Stallion Series Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace
Im The One, Twisted Destiny, No Trespassing, Da Lou Ron Ron and Waffle Blue Chip each won a $27,397 split in Friday’s sub-feature, with Dave Palone (Twisted Destiny, No Trespassing) and Tim Tetrick (Im The One, Waffle Blue Chip) each enjoying a stake double.
Although he’d never tried an uncovered move in his brief career, Im The One made it look easy, defeating Knockout Round by 1-1/2 lengths in a career-fastest 1:51.3. Lennon Hanover earned show.
“I put him in a spot where he had free range, and he showed how good he can be,” Tetrick said. “The first quarter was :26.2, so I knew the front-end horse would be a little tired.”
Brett Pelling conditions the Papi Rob Hanover-Lifetime Trust gelding for Let It Ride Stables Inc, Odds On Racing and Enviro Stables LTD.
Live racing at The Meadows continues Saturday, first post 12:45 p.m.
(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)