by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — There was a time when racing a horse like Sweet Lou may have caused sleepless nights for trainer Ron Burke.

But as Burke gets Sweet Lou ready for his 3-year-old debut Saturday night (May 19) at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, that’s no longer the case.

Sweet Lou was the 2011 Dan Patch Award winner as best 2-year-old male pacer after a season in which he won 10 of 12 races, including the Breeders Crown in a world-record 1:49, and earned $686,647. He finished second in both of his losses — by a nose and a head.

He enters this year as the No. 1-ranked contender for the North America Cup, Meadowlands Pace and the Little Brown Jug, which are three of the biggest prizes for 3-year-old pacers.

Burke, who was voted 2011 Trainer of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association, is taking all the expectations in stride as he prepares for Sweet Lou’s appearance Saturday in the third of three Pennsylvania Sire Stakes divisions at Pocono Downs.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Sweet Lou earned $686,647 in 2011 and captured the Dan Patch Award for best freshman pacing male.

“We’re going to race him and we’re going to have fun,” Burke said. “When he wins, we’re going to have fun; lose, we’re going to have less fun. But I’m not going to sweat it. I’m not going to get myself nervous about it. I’m just going to enjoy it.

“A few years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep. I’d have probably just slept with him. Thank God for how strong purses have been in the last few years and how well our barn has done. It has taken the immediate pressure off just making it day to day. I can enjoy this a little bit more and have fun and race and see what we can do.”

Burke’s stable has set records for purses over the last several years, including $18.53 million in 2011. Burke has trained a number of stars, including divisional champions Buck I St Pat, Won The West, and Foiled Again.

“Lucky for Lou, they paid for a lot of my mistakes that I made getting up to where I am now,” Burke said. “I think right now we prep a horse for a big race better than we did by far 10 years ago. I think you see it in the results. Races we aim for, we tend to do real well in.

“We’re used to the pressure of having to get ready for races.”

Sweet Lou, who last season won the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship for 2-year-old male pacers, prepped for Saturday’s start by winning a qualifier at The Meadows by 29 lengths in 1:50.4 on May 4. He will face eight rivals in his $106,113 sire stakes division. Dave Palone will handle the driving.

Last year’s sire stakes championship runner-up, Easy Again, drew into the first of the three sire stakes divisions. He has already gone 2-for-2 this season, with his most recent victory coming by six lengths in 1:50.1 against 3- and 4-year-olds at Harrah’s Philadelphia on April 20.

Trained by George Teague Jr. and driven by Teague’s son, Montrell, Easy Again prepped with a 1:54.4 qualifier May 8 at Philly.

Star Recruit, who finished third in the sire stakes final last year, also is in the first division. He is trained by Bruce Riegle and will be driven by George Napolitano Jr.

Dapper Dude, who last year set the track record of 1:51.2 at The Meadows in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division, is in the second of the three divisions, along with Teague’s stakes-winning Cold Hearted Shark. Dapper Dude has John Campbell listed to drive for trainer Bob McIntosh.

“I was afraid all the top-top ones could get in together, so I like the draw,” Burke said. “(Sweet Lou) didn’t catch the toughest division, but I’m sure it will be tough enough the way it is. I didn’t want in his first start of the year to have to step on him that hard, but he’s ready to go.”