Karl earns new lifetime mark

Lexington, KY — It is not the Fourth of July but there were definitely some fireworks at The Red Mile on Sunday (Aug. 25). Freshman male harness racing pacer Louprint (Sweet Lou-Rockin Racer) lit the match by soundly defeating the fastest 2-year-old in history in the $80,000 third leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series. Karl (Tactical Landing-Avalicious) followed up that impressive score with one of his own by establishing a new lifetime mark of 1:50.2 in his division of the same series.

Oddly enough, Louprint (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was favored over world champion Sippinonsearoc in this event. The folks that placed their money on him, however, got it right as he placed his stablemate in the rearview mirror in a lifetime best 1:49.1. American Son (Dexter Dunn) was second and Fallout (Marvin Luna) was third.

Dunn sent American Son straight to the lead at the beginning of the mile with Louprint sitting pretty in the pocket. Dunn allowed his charge to click off fractions of :28, :54 and 1:23. Sippinonsearoc (Yannick Gingras) was never really in contention as he was fifth in the early stages and could not place himself in the mix in the field of seven.

When Wrenn Jr. asked Louprint to pick up the bit in the stretch it was all systems go. The Ron Burke trainee collected his fourth victory in five starts with a :26 final quarter panel.

LOUPRINT REPLAY

Competing as a homebred for his conditioner’s stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Phillip Collura, Louprint has banked $119,864 in his brief career. The only blemish on his record was a neck loss to stablemate and world champion Sippinonsearoc in the first leg of this series.

Louprint is the first foal out of his dam who is a full sibling to Undertaker (Rockin Image, $419,269), Noah Z Tam ($226,182), Sun Chip ($125,043) and Oh So Smooth ($105,469). Rockin Racer earned $157,964 on her own. Her half brother Tellmeaboutit (Tellitlikeitis, $953,025) is an Indiana champion.

The colt paid $3.78 to win.

Karl (Gingras) made it look easy again as he sailed home in a new mark of 1:50.2 over Secret Agent Man (Andy Miller) and Hung Over (Dunn) in the third $80,000 Championship Series leg for sophomore male trotters.

There was not a lot of guesswork in how this event would unfold. Hung Over took the lead at the beginning of the mile with Karl in third but that was short-lived. The Hambletonian winner and Breeders Crown champion assumed command after a quarter in :27.1.

He glided around the Lexington oval with splits of :55.3 and 1:23.3. His last quarter-mile was in a geared down :26.4.

KARL REPLAY

Karl is trained by Nancy Takter and was bred by Crawford Farms, who is co-owner along with is conditioner. The colt is also owned by Christina Takter, Black Horse Racing and Bender Sweden.

Karl sports a resume of 19-17-1-1 and has banked more than $1.8 million.

The favorite for Horse of the Year honors supplied his supporters with a $2.10 to win.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Kimberly French, for The Red Mile