Woodstock, VA — Dan Chansky’s Lou’s Starr triggered his second track record of the week — at two different ovals — when he wired the field in a $10,000 conditioned pace Saturday (Sept. 26) at Shenandoah Downs in 1:51.1, the fastest mile ever recorded at the Woodstock half-miler. The 4-year-old Sweet Lou horse shattered the previous best — which he authored last fall — by three-fifths of a second. The winner, who recorded quarter fractions of :27, :55.4 and 1:23.1, is trained by Scott Warnick and was driven by Corey Braden.
On Monday (Sept. 21), Lou’s Starr erased a record at Rosecroft Raceway that was authored by Jenna’s Beach Boy 30 years ago. The star pacer completed the mile in a $13,000 Open Handicap Pace in 1:49 — two-fifths of a second faster than the Hall of Famer’s previous 4-year-old pacing mark.
Warnick spoke about the past week and his attention deserving pacer. “It’s been incredible,” he said. “He’s a very special kind of horse. I can’t ask for any better. He makes a bad trainer look good. I’m going to give him a couple weeks off and point him to something next.”
Asked if he felt Lou’s Starr always had this potential, Warnick said, “When he was two, I envisioned a really nice 3-year-old pacer from the work we put into him and what we paid for him. He’s done it all himself. It’s been a ride. He’s taken us places I never thought I’d be. It’s been fun.”
A four-pack of Virginia Sire Stake prep races for 2-year-olds took center stage over the weekend. Tremaine Harding’s Dance With Jenni captured the Filly Trot in 2:01.4, crossing 7-1/4 lengths head of stablemate Queen Jessica. Billy Carter drove the winner and Eric Davis piloted the runner-up — both for trainer Mike Whitaker.
Richard Havens’ Andy’s Disaster took the Colt Trot prep in 2:06.1, his fourth victory in five career starts. Trainer Chrissy Johnson drove the winner to a 4-3/4-length triumph. All four of Andy’s Disaster’s wins have come at the Woodstock oval — two during the current pari-mutuel meet and two at the County Fair meet that was held the week leading up to Labor Day. Tracy Bradshaw’s TNT Jabony was second and Arthur Hauser’s Opie Taylor took third.
Jonda Smith’s Ballarddrgoldfngr captured Sunday’s (Sept. 27) Sired Stake prep for freshman male pacers, edging Joe Chindano’s Ohh Hey Bud by one-half length in 2:00.1. The 2-year-old Doctor Butch gelding crossed in 2:00.1 with trainer/driver Archie Buford in the sulky. The winner is now four-for-eight with earnings of $42,500. Chindano’s Ohh Nice finished third.
In the fillies division, John Pyott’s Nurse Nippy went wire-to-wire in 2:01.1 besting Patrick Press’s Miss Diagnosed by 1-1/4 lengths. The winning Doctor Butch filly is trained by Bryson Dunning and was driven by William Carter.
The Virginia Sire Stake finals will be contested in Woodstock on Saturday (Oct. 3). Purses in each of the four divisions will be $100,000 (est).