from PHHA/Pocono
Wilkes-Barre, PA — The Ron Burke stable sent out seven of the 25 2-year-old pacing fillies contesting four $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars contest over a sloppy track on Tuesday (July 17) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, including all four morning-line favorites.
The Burke Brigade and sire Sweet Lou effected a sweep – but the last event didn’t go exactly to script as $45.80 winner Louphoria, not 2-5 chalk Sylph Hanover, completed the four-bagger.
Louphoria, out of the mare Euphoria, was first to the lead for driver Yannick Gingras before yielding to Art Lecture and then Sylph Hanover. They sat in that order until just before the 1:25.2 three-quarter call, when Louphoria came roaring out of the three-hole and headed her stablemate on the far turn. Gingras, who handled three of the Burke winners, measured off the win as Louphoria tripped the timer in 1:53, a length ahead of Blue Ivy, who split horses late to nip Sylph Hanover for second.
Louphoria was third in her Sire Stakes debut, and had shown a 1:57.4 morning win at Harrah’s Philadelphia with a :55.3 closing half, but this victory showed that she belongs in the “big leagues” of the state-bred babies for the Louphoria Stable, comprised of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Phil Collura, Larry Karr and Diamond Creek Racing.
The most impressive of the Burke winners was the Sweet Lou-Great Memories filly Warrawee Ubeaut, who tucked third midway on the first turn for Gingras, then brushed to the lead in front of the stands. From there the only real question was the final time, and Warrawee Ubeaut finished out her 1:52.1 mile with a :55.1 closing half and earned a season’s record despite the off track, knocking a tick off the mark set by St Somewhere at Tioga on Sunday. An easy winner in a Sire Stakes in her purse bow after two Gaitway victories before that, Warrawee Ubeaut is owned by Burke Racing LLC, Phil Collura, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Burke and Gingras also teamed up with She’s Allright, who made the lead an eighth in and came home in :27.4 to stop the timer in a personal-best 1:52.2 while fully in control. Michelle Yanek is a partner in the daughter of Sweet Lou and Atsalrite Hanover with Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and Collura.
Sweet Chrome and driver Matt Kakaley started proceedings off for the Burke barn. The Sweet Lou-Camille filly took the lead after being used hard through the first five-sixteenths and controlled things thereafter en route to a 1:54.4 triumph. After finishing third in a Sire Stakes event in her pari-mutuel debut, Sweet Chrome matched the clocking she had achieved in a Philly morning session for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, M1 Stable LLC and Jack Piatt III.