Harrah's Philadelphia: Burke Brigade bats a thousand in PA Sire Stakes

The only thing that Ron Burke might like better than winning stakes races is winning stakes races with offspring of Sweet Lou. On Friday afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia, two 2-year-old pacing fillies from the Burke Brigade swept the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes third preliminary round during a card where $216,216 was up for grabs in stakes action.

The quicker cut featured a sight fans who go to the races 318 miles to the approximate west of Philly often witness: Ronnie Wrenn Jr. vs. Dave Palone in a close stretch battle, with the verdict going to Loua Dipa (dam Looksgoodinaromper), recording a second PaSS win, and Wrenn Jr. by a head over Spoon Fed in 1:51 1/5, a new mark. Loua Dipa made favored Imagine Heaven (also already with a Sire Stake victory on her resume) work to get the lead well after a 27 2/5 opener, then yielded to sit the two-hole in fractions of 55 1/5 and 1:23 3/5. Spoon Fed had marched up uncovered to wrest command on the far turn, and Wrenn was able to swing her out behind the new leader and then out-foot that one home for Burke Racing Stable LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

The other PaSS division, with Burke and Sweet Lou again combining for a double Sire Stakes winner, opened the card, as a battle of fillies already with a PaSS credit battled through the stretch, with I'm A Lou Lou (dam Benear) a half-length ahead of Big Weekend at the end of a 1:52 mile. Again, the winner was a pocket rocket, as I'm A Lou Lou, driven by Tim Tetrick, let Big Spender go after opening the action in 27 1/5, sat in the golden chair through splits of 56 1/5 and 1:24 4/5, and then brushed home, generating 26 4/5 speed from the two-hole to win for Burke Racing LLC., Knox Services Inc., Larry Karr, and Phil Collura.

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The Sire Stakes-winning drivers, Tim Tetrick and Ronnie Wrenn Jr., also each had a victory in one of four Stallion Series divisions. The only repeat StS winner was the Stay Hungry-Zellweger Blue Chip filly Lyons I Wanna Chip, equaling her mark of 1:53 1/5 despite the outside post eight for Tetrick (a four-time winner on the day overall), trainer Jim King Jr., and Threelyonsracing.

The other three Stallion Series winners Friday were all daughters of Papi Rob Hanover, including the fastest one, Papi Knows (dam Strong Opinion), with whom Wrenn Jr. got a new mark of 1:53 after a clever steer for trainer Todd Schadel, the latter co-owner with Let It Ride Stables Inc.

The other successful daughters of "Papi Rob" both broke their maidens. Pure Decision (dam Crooked Halo), whom Michael Cole brought home in 1:53 2/5, won to a mutuel tune of $37.80 as the longest shot on the board (while also helping to trigger a Superfecta carryover in the last race on the card) for co-owners Ake Svanstedt (who also trains), Joe Sbrocco & and JAF Racing. Also visiting the winner's circle for the first time was Feisty Hanover (dam Fit To Frame), a 1:54 1/5 winner for driver Andy Miller, trainer Nik Drennan, and owners Joseph Davino, Brad Shackman, and Drennan Stable LLC.

A 12:40 p.m. (EDT) card on Sunday will close out the racing week at Harrah's Philadelphia, with the first race Superfecta carryover as mentioned above.

--press release (PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)--