by John Pawlak, the U.S. Trotting Association

Columbus, OH — A recent poll of visitors to the U.S. Trotting Association website said — by a wide margin — that Sweet Lou’s performance in the recent Breeders Crown was the most impressive among the 12 divisions of that rich and important collection of stakes.

The U.S. Trotting Association agreed, and has voted the freshman pacing colt owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Lawrence Karr and Phillip Collura as its Horse of the Month for October 2011.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Sweet Lou lowered the world record to 1:49 in winning the Breeders Crown final for freshman pacing colts.

Sweet Lou’s October began with a narrow loss to Bolt The Duer in a $96,500 division of the Bluegrass Stakes at Lexington’s Red Mile, but he came back to win the three other starts he made in the month just ended. One week after being nipped at the wire he posted a cavalry charge win in an $83,850 division of the International Stallion Stakes, also in Kentucky.

That win vaulted him into the role of favorite in both his Breeders Crown elimination and the $650,000 Breeders Crown final — and he did not disappoint. He was a 1:50 winner in the elimination, coming from 13-1/2 lengths off the pace at the half to win by 2-1/4 lengths.

In the Breeders Crown final he impressed everyone by making a three-wide move at the half-mile pole and then in short order came clear of the field to post a 7-1/2 length, 1:49 victory. The time was a world record for a freshman colt, regardless of track size.

Sweet Lou is trained by co-owner Ron Burke and was bred by Birnam Wood Farms (Seth Rosenfeld) of California.

“This is why you’re in harness racing. This is the pinnacle,” co-owner Lawrence Karr said in the winner’s circle following the Breeders Crown final. “This is really our dream. I haven’t slept for about a week leading up to this race.”

Should he continue to show this much ability, Sweet Lou may keep Mr. Karr awake — and perhaps prompt nightmares among the connections of his foes.