December 1, 2023 – by Chris Tully, for Hickory Lane Farm
FINDLAY, OH – The ownership group of 2021 Little Brown Jug champion Lou’s Pearlman p,3,1:47.4 ($1,242,987) has announced that their horse has been retired and will stand in Ohio at Hickory Lane Horse Farm beginning with the 2024 breeding season.
North America’s fastest 2- and 3-year-old pacing colt of his respective freshman and sophomore seasons, Lou’s Pearlman retired as the second richest, and third fastest, stallion sired by Sweet Lou.
In 2020 at age two, Lou’s Pearlman started his career with a four-race winning streak, along with a 1:49.1 victory in the $119,100 Bluegrass Stake at Lexington’s Red Mile.
The following season Lou’s Pearlman captured eight races, including an elimination heat and the final of the $661,800 Little Brown Jug; $235,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Final; $100,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial (Cons.), etc. He earned $593,519 during his 2021 sophomore campaign, defeating such top horses as Perfect Sting, Charlie May, Hellabalou and Southwind Gendry.
Leading trainer Ron Burke stated this about his homebred champion, “Lou’s Pearlman is a great horse from my favorite maternal family. His ultra-game Jug victory is one of my most enjoyable wins ever.”
Royally-bred, Lou’s Pearlman is from the same maternal family as World Champion and top sire Western Ideal p,2,1:54.3f; 1:48 ($1,455,422), and his full sister, My Girl EJ p,2,1:49.1-’23 ($698,397) won the 2023 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old pacing fillies.
Handy on all sized tracks, Lou’s Pearlman took a 1:52.4 half-mile track record in his Jug victory on a track labeled ’good,’ and scored in 1:48.4 on Pocono’s five-eighths mile track.
This year at five he earned $332,250, highlighted by a second place finish behind stable mate Bythemissal in the $600,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace, defeating the likes of Tattoo Artist, Allywag Hanover and Abuckabett Hanover. He was also stakes placed in the $185,000 Hoosier Park Pacing Derby and the final of the $455,100 Canadian Pacing Derby.
Co-owner and breeder Mark Weaver is excited about the next phase of his horse’s career. “I’m thrilled that Lou’s Pearlman landed in Ohio. With his speed and ability to cross with most mares, he is a great option for the best stakes program going.”
Of course, this son of Sweet Lou heading to the breeding shed in the ‘Year of the Lou’ may be no coincidence.
“We are grateful to the ownership of Lou’s Pearlman for entrusting Hickory Lane with their Little Brown Jug-winning son of Sweet Lou,” noted Kevin Greenfield, president of Hickory Lane Horse Farm.
“He is sure to be very popular with breeders throughout North America, and has already been well-received in Ohio.”
Lou’s Pearlman will stand for an introductory fee of $5,000. For more information regarding shares and breedings to Lou’s Pearlman, contact either R. Kevin Greenfield, at 419.346.0609 or [email protected]; or Ashley Stickel, office manager, Hickory Lane Farm, at 419.422.3004 or [email protected].
