Sweet Lou
overpowered a stellar field of fast class pacers to win the $50,000 second leg
of the TVG Free For All Championship Series in 1:48 on Saturday night at The
Meadowlands.
Ron
Pierce was in the driver's seat again and used Sweet Lou's speed to get into
the race early from post ten, tucking third as first Golden Receiver then Bolt
The Duer took turns on the lead through the 26.1 opener. Pierce edged Sweet Lou
to the outside and had command in a matter of strides, clicking off a half in
:54.2 and three quarters in 1:22 before streaking home in 26 flat for the win.
Clear Vision parlayed an uncovered move into the place finish behind his barn
mate for Matt Kakaley (who won both ends of tonight's Daily Double).
Thinking Out Loud closed to be third with John Campbell aboard and looks
like he might be sitting on a big one for conditioner Bob McIntosh.
Now five
years of age, Sweet Lou is in career form currently for the Ron Burke stable
and the partnership of Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr and Phil
Collura. The 1:48 mile is a mere fifth of a second off his lifetime best, taken
in an elimination for the North America Cup at age three.
Owner
Larry Karr mentioned in a post race Bob "Hollywood" Heyden interview
that a trip to Tioga Downs for next Sunday's $160,000 Roll With Joe FFA Pace
may be the next objective for the partnership's star player.
Doo Wop Hanover exploded in
mid-stretch and drew away from the field to win the $48,500 second leg of the
New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, the fifth
race on Saturday night, May 24, 2014 at the Meadowlands.
Driver John Campbell bided his
time with 3-5 favorite Doo Wop Hanover [$3.40], sitting in the outside tier,
then fanning out to mid-track in the stretch and blowing by for a two and a
quarter length victory in 1:50.4 on a racing surface rated good.
The Steve Elliott trainee put
away runner-up Dancin Hill and Rock Out, who was third by three and a quarter
lengths. All three top finishers are sons of Rocknroll Hanover.
At two, Doo Wop Hanover finished
in-the-money in six of 12 starts and was second to Western Vintage in his 2014
debut last week. The $52,000 Harrisburg Yearling has now earned more than
$87,000 for owners Peter Blood of Pompano Beach, FL; Rick Berks of Boca Raton,
FL and Gary Piontkowski of North Smithfield, RI.
Sayitall BB and Act Now each
paced career best miles in taking their respective $21,000 division of the New
Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Sayitall BB [$3.20], driven by
Ron Pierce and trained by Ron Burke, took the lead at the quarter and drew away
to a three length victory in 1:51 flat in the first division, the third
race.
The daughter of Tell All –Challo
BB picked up her fourth win in six starts this year after winning all five of
her outings at two.
Rockingham Park [Rocknroll
Hanover] was second best while it was four and a half lengths to Fanticipation
[Rocknroll Hanover] in third.
Sayitall BB has now banked more
than $60,000 for Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown, PA and Weaver
Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, PA.
Act Now [$2.80], a daughter of
Western Ideal-CPA, was a wrapped up winner in 1:50 flat in the second division
of three-year-old pacing fillies, the fourth race, finishing four and a half
lengths ahead of Blixtra [Rocknroll Hanover]. It was four and
three-quarter lengths to Highland Rockstar [Rocknroll Hanover] in third.
Act Now, driven by Tim Tetrick
and trained by Nikolas Drennan, was a $40,000 Lexington Selected Sale purchase
who has now banked more than $200,000 for Joseph Davino of Clarksburg, NJ and
Patrick O’Brien of New Hyde Park, NY.
This year she has a first and a
third in two tries and last year she posted three wins, a second and a third in
nine starts with her largest payday in the $394,950 Three Diamonds when she
finished second by a neck to Delightful Dragon.
The $100,000 New Jersey Sire
Stakes finals for all the three-year-old divisions will take place on May 31.
Despite less than stellar weather
conditions, live handle at The Meadowlands showed gains of 15-percent.
Racing returns to The Meadowlands
on Friday with first post time of 7:15 P.M. Saturday is the next
blockbuster night at the Big M, including the New Jersey Sire Stakes
Championships, Jerseyfest and an appearance from Victor Espinoza who will ride
California Chrome in search of a Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes. Go
to PlayMeadowlands.com for details.
