Sweet Lou filly equals world record in ISS

LEXINGTON, Ky.— After faltering to Papi Grad in a first-over push last week, Looksgoodinloulou (Sweet Lou) found herself in Papi Grad’s trail and zoomed through a seam at the inside to win the $81,600 Bob McIntosh Memorial, part of the $245,800 International Stallion Stakes (ISS) for 2-year-old pacing fillies, in a world-record equaling harness racing mile on Friday (Oct. 4) at The Red Mile.

Driver Yannick Gingras zipped out of post 7 with Looksgoodinloulou, the 3-2 second choice, and grabbed the lead to a :26.3 first quarter as Papi Grad (driven by Dexter Dunn) plotted her next move while racing in third. Dunn decided to vacate his position and brush forward up the backside to take over control from Looksgoodinloulou before a half clocked in :53.4. Papi Grad carried the field through to three-quarters in 1:22.1 under intensifying pressure with Duration (Todd McCarthy) mounting a first-over bid and clearance gradually opening to the inside for Looksgoodinloulou. Looksgoodinloulou capitalized with the real estate and surged by Papi Grad in the final eighth to pull away to a 1-3/4-length victory in 1:48.3. Papi Grad held second while Champagne Room (Andy McCarthy) rallied from second over for third and Duration settled for fourth.

LOOKSGOODINLOULOU REPLAY

“It’s all the Burke Brigade,” said Gingras after the race. “They got all these homebreds – last year, they were one-two-three with those fillies in the Breeders Crown. [Burke and company] got better mares and Sweet Lou obviously has been producing like crazy. I’m just lucky to sit behind them.”

Trainer Ron Burke and Yannick Gingras also teamed to establish the track and world record of 1:48.3 for 2-year-old pacing fillies back in 2018 with another daughter of Sweet Lou, Warrawee Ubeaut.

Looksgoodinloulou is a homebred Sweet Lou filly for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She won her third race from six starts, has now banked $240,175 and paid $5.12 to win.

Burke scored another decisive win in the $81,600 first division of the ISS, the Margareta Wallenius-Kleberg Memorial, with 7-5 second choice Rodeo Drive Deo (David Miller) powering uncovered to a 1:50.1 win.

Miller pushed Rodeo Drive Deo off the wings from post 7 but took back as the inside three fired forward into a :27.1 first quarter. Simply Perfect (Todd McCarthy) landed one the lead while Rodeo Drive Deo settled into fourth and waited until a :55.1 half to commit outside and roll uncovered on the rim. Rodeo Drive Deo progressed through the far turn to reach Simply Perfect’s throat and then vaulted to the lead after three-quarters in 1:23. Unreasonable (Scott Zeron), who tracked from second over through the turn, angled out to take a shot late, but Rodeo Drive Deo kept finding to wade off that challenger by a half length at the beam. Calamity Hour (Dexter Dunn) came from third over for third while Beyonsay Yankee (Tim Tetrick) sat a ground-saving trip for fourth.

RODEO DRIVE DEO REPLAY

“She’s been just awesome,” David Miller said after the race. “I got to race her four times now, and I can’t praise her enough.”

Rodeo Drive Deo races for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Beasty LLC and J & T Silva—Purnel & Libby. The Captaintreacherous filly won her third race from seven starts and has now earned $150,757. She paid $4.84 to win.

Ron Burke completed a sweep of the ISS filly paces with 1-9 favorite Rose (Yannick Gingras) scoring an authoritative 1:50.3 victory in the closing division.

Gingras powered Rose from the pylon post for the lead but took a brief pocket as Cant See Me (Bob McClure) swooped from post 8 for the front to a :27.2 first quarter. Rose abandoned the pocket ride and circled back to the top in the backstretch to take the field to the half in :55.3. Cant See Me boldly pulled pocket rounding the final turn as the tempo slowed to three-quarters in 1:24.1 but quickly levelled off as Rose hit the pedal and scooted away. Rose registered a 3-1/4-length victory over pylon-skimming Point Breeze (James MacDonald) in second, while Accede (Dexter Dunn) closed from third over for third and Chakra (Anibal Borjas) closed for fourth.

A daughter of Sweet Lou, Rose won her seventh race from eight starts and has now banked $337,213 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Jack Piatt III and Larry Karr. She paid $2.30 to win.

Division one of the ISS was named “The Margareta Wallenius-Kleberg Memorial” sponsored by Arden Homestead Stable, E. T. Gerry Jr., Peter Gerry, Stoner Manor Inc., Menhammar Stuteri AB, Jorgen Jahre Jr., LST Stable, Lawrence DeVan and William DeVan. The Bob McIntosh Memorial was sponsored by the Perfect Sting Syndicate, Brittany Farms and Val D’Or Farms, and the third division was named “The Arlene Siegel Memorial” sponsored by Jules Siegel and Fashion Farms.

Live racing resumes on Saturday (Oct. 5) with three divisions of the $300,900 International Stallion Stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings and five divisions of the $342,000 International Stallion Stakes for 2-year-old trotting fillies on the 15-race card. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).

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

by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile