Burke’s Louprint ready for Little Brown Jug
By John Sacco
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
Having overcome an emergency surgery that temporarily interrupted his perfect 3-year-old pacing campaign, Louprint is ready to slice through the opposition Thursday at the Delaware County (Ohio) Fairgrounds and capture the Little Brown Jug.
“He’s ready,” gushed owner-trainer Ron Burke. “He’s ready.”
Louprint is 7-for-7 this season and has won 14 of 17 career starts with two seconds and a third.
His last win came in the Pennsylvania Sire Stake final Sept. 6 at The Meadows, running down Prince Hal Hanover in the deep stretch.
“I think at this point I have a lot of confidence,” said Louprint’s driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. “The horse definitely knows how to win. To be able to go up the passing lane and get by a great horse like Prince Hal Hanover and then Twisted Destiny on the outside just says a lot about the perseverance. He just refuses to lose. You know he’s a great horse and he’s just coming back off an injury.
“Just like any athlete, sometimes it takes a little bit. It seems like he was as sharp as ever. It is a good win going into the Little Brown Jug, so I was happy about his performance.
“I’d like to think that he has a really good shot every time he races,” he continued, “but there are other good horses. The draw is really important in Delaware.”
Louprint will leave from the fifth post in the Little Brown Jug’s first elimination. He will be next to his greatest treat – Prince Hal Hanover – who will leave from the sixth post. He will be driven by Todd McCarthy-Dr. Ian Moore.
Others in the race, from the rail out, are No Trespassing (Scott Zeron-Deborah Daguet), Papi’s Rocket (Yannick Gingras-Burke), Ayeaye Captain Deo (James McDonald-Garry Merner Jr.), Extra Suds (Dexter Dunn-Virgil Morgan Jr.) and Sterling (Gingras-Blake McIntosh).
The second division includes DA Love Boat (Gingras-Burke), Thirsty Thursday (Tyler Buter-Hunter Oakes), Lou’s Star (Fern Paquet Jr.-Scott Warnick), Odds On Outlier (Dexter Dunn-Melanie Wrenn), Captain Optimistic (Dunn-Nancy Takter), Snack Attack (Jason Bartlett-Joe Bongiorno) and Wild Bill Wyatt (Bartlett-Walter Haynes Jr.).
The top four in each $50,000 division will qualify for the $500,000 final to be raced later Thursday afternoon. The Jug remains one of the last two-heat races in the industry.
Louprint had been considered the top 3-year-old pacer in the country prior to his emergency surgery on a testicle July 7. He missed the Meadowlands Pace, where he was a heavy favorite, The Adios and Carl Millstein Memorial.
Louprint returned to the track in a qualifier at The Meadows. He won his qualifier in a controlled 1:52.2, pacing the last half in 53.3.
Louprint won the $1 million North American Cup at Woodbine June 14.
He was the Dan Patch Award winner for best 2-year-old male pacer in 2024.
The son of Sweet Lou-Rockin Racer, Louprint is owned by breeders Burke Racing Stable, Fredericktown, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and Phil Collura, as well as Larry Karr.
Prior to his surgery, it seemed Louprint was a prohibited favorite to win 3-year-old pacer of the year. However, since that surgery, Prince Hal Hanover won The Adios and Millstein. The horse also crossed the line first in the Meadowlands Pace but was placed second.
“Louprint’s a special horse. I’m just lucky to sit behind him,” Wrenn said. “I appreciate this and it would be kind of a cool story to have suffered a minor injury and come back. It’s just part of a story.
“Ohio is where I live and you know it’s probably the biggest (event) of the year. It’s a huge race for anyone who lives in Ohio.”
Down the stretch
Burke is joined by Tim Twaddle as local trainers with entrants into the Jugette eliminations Thursday.
Burke has Rodeo Drive Deo (Post 7) in the first elimination and Rose (Post 3) in the second elimination. Twaddle has Time Of The Season (Post 5) in the second elimination.