Sweet Lou wins fastest PASS split

Rebounding from his Delvin Miller Adios disappointment, Sweet Lou overpowered his Pennsylvania Sires Stakes division Saturday at The Meadows in a crisp 1:49.4. The $290,937 event for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers, known as the Tarport Effrat, was contested over three divisions, with Dapper Dude and Shady Breeze taking the other splits. Dave Palone scored a Tarport Effrat double with Sweet Lou and Shady Breeze.

Sporting newly donned cups with slits, Sweet Lou was looped from the gate by McErlean but pressed the issue in a swift 26.2 opening panel. Once on the front, the 1-9 favorite had little trouble downing McErlean by 3-1/2 lengths. Hillbilly Hanover rallied for show.

"I was happy with the way he raced,” Palone said. "I thought he was as good as can be. I’m as high on the horse as I ever was. I wasn’t down on him; I was down on myself.”

Ron Burke trains the son of Yankee Cruiser-Sweet Future, who now boasts 16 wins in 21 lifetime starts and $1,096,865 in earnings, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Larry Karr and Phillip Collura.

Dapper Dude, who won the Adios consolation as well as a North America Cup elimination, never had an anxious moment on the front after quarter-poling to the lead for John Campbell. He thwarted the first-over challenge of Easy Again and triumphed in 1:50.1, 2-3/4 lengths better than One Through Ten. Easy Again saved show.

"He was stronger tonight than he was in the Adios consolation,” Campbell said. "He wasn’t as strong finishing that race as he usually is. Tonight he paced right through the wire. He did what he was supposed to.”

Bob McIntosh conditions the son of The Panderosa-Dress To Suggest and owns with Al McIntosh Holdings.

Shady Breeze, on the bench for six weeks, showed no ill effects as he wired the field — his second front-end PASS victory at The Meadows this year — in 1:50. McBoogie was second, 2-1/4 lengths in arrears, with Friday At Five third.

"He got a little sick, and we decided to stop with him a little bit,” said owner/trainer/breeder Judith Welty of the Nuclear Breeze-Myternintheshade ridgling. "Sometimes it’s better not to press too much with them. But he was good today.”

She said Shady Breeze will be pointed to the Battle of the Brandywine.

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