stakes recap

By Kimberly Rinker

Loua Dipa captured the $959,000 (CAD) ($700,000 USD) Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Pace Final in a new track, stakes, and Canadian record of 1:49.1 for driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., who never pulled the ear plugs on the 1-9 freshman daughter by Sweet Lou.

“She's really special,” said Wrenn, Jr., in the winner’s circle. “I’m just really happy to get the chance to sit behind her. These kinds of wins never get old, and hopefully it’s not my last one.”

Trainer Ron Burke not only trained the winner but also harnessed second place finisher She’s A Bulldog (Bob McClure), and third-place finisher Seaside Shuffle (Yannick Gingras). Daya, driven by Jody Jamieson, finished fourth.

Loua Dipa is owned by and was bred by Burke Racing Stable, LLC., and Weaver Bruscemi, LLC., of Pennsylvania, and added another $479,500 to her coffers, pushing her career earnings to $1,019,728C. It was her fifth triumph in a row and her fifth clocking in 1:49.3 or better. Loua Dipa had won her Breeders Crown elimination in 1:49.3 and picked up her ninth career victory in 12 starts with this latest win.

“The truth is, she was just in the middle of the pack (of our 2-year-olds training down), until the first qualifier when she showed a hint of what she could do,” trainer Ron Burke noted. “Then every start after that, she just kept getting better, and when she came up here we were like, wow, she's special. And since then, she's just been on a tear.”

Hunting Memories was hustled out quickly from the gate by driver Louis-Philppe Roy, and quickly overtaken by Daya to the :26.1 first quarter clocking. Loua Dipa then made her move, taking command with a strong brush on the outside, as Daya settled into the garden spot, followed by Hunting Memories and On Heir (Andy McCarthy) to the 1:21.4 three-quarter marker. From there, Loua Dipa simply glided to victory, drawing off the in the stretch to an easy 3½ length triumph.

Trainer Burke said he sees similarities on the maternal side of Loua Dipa’s family.

“It's funny, Looksgoodinloulou (3-year-old filly) reminds me of the grand dam (Don’t Blame Her),” Burke stressed. “This filly reminds me more of the dam (Looksgoodinaromper). They're much more similar, the funny way they steer and they’re just the nicest horses to be around. Both of these fillies are truly the quietest, nicest, kindest fillies, so they remind me a lot of each other. Looksgoodinaromper was one of my favorite horses. She was a world champion at 2 and now she has two world champions daughters."

Loua Dip’s dam Looksgoodinaromper (Pet Rock) p, 2, 1:52.3h ($322,378) was a standout at age 2, winning the $300,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Championship in 1:52.4 on Sept. 1, 2019, for the Burke Brigade. She also finished fifth in the 2019 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Pace Final. ​ Loua Dipa is her second foal and is a full sister to the 3-year-old filly Looksgoodinloulou p, 2, 1:48.3 (684,337).