The Meadows: Louprint tops Pennsylvania Sire Stakes victors

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 in Friday's Pennsylvania Sire Stakes at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Go Go Grasshopper and Th Colby captured the other divisions of the $197,709 stake, known as the Tyler B, for 2-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 2/5 while Currys Flurry and Fasting completed the ticket.

"With everyone leaving I decided to trip him out," Wrenn Jr. 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 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 4/5, a new lifetime mark. Prince Hal Hanover was third.

"We got a good trip behind probably one of the better ones in the whole sire stakes 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.

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$100,000 PA Stallion Series 2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace

I'm The One, Twisted Destiny, No Trespassing, Da Lou Ron Ron and Waffle Blue Chip each won a split in Friday's sub-feature, with Dave Palone (Twisted Destiny, No Trespassing) and Tim Tetrick (I'm The One, Waffle Blue Chip) each enjoying a stake double.

Although he'd never tried an uncovered move in his brief career, I'm The One made it look easy, defeating Knockout Round by 1 1/2 lengths in a career-fastest 1:51 3/5. 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 2/5, 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.

--press release (MSOA)--