Longshots were the call of the evening in the 1st round of the 2009 $25,000 Orange Park Derby as 4 of the 5 qualifying races were won by greyhounds that were about 7-1 at post time. The lone favorite to win, well do I really need to tell you? If you follow us at all you know who it was, and trust me when I say, she put more that a stamp on this effort.
Penny Candy missed by just a head from winning the 2008 Orange Park Derby and if her first round race was any indication, she is going for the win this time around. Breaking from her best box, the 8, in the 15th race she decided to break and from that point on it just got U-G-L-Y! Drawing away throughout Penny crossed the finish line 9 lengths better than any of her competitors and posted up the fastest trip around the qualifying over by about a half a second. Her 37.23 second romp was the fastest time over 660 yards in the last 30 days. To say she is back, is frankly and understatement. Gs Aidyn and Lover Girl Tiffy chased throughout and this was probably the better part of the race to watch. These two didn’t give up and any point as they traded up the place position all the way to the wire. Back and forth they went with Aidyn coming out just a big better at the finish line. Capping off the superfecta was last year’s winner Se’s Top Speed. Speed broke poorly and made up ground throughout to fill the final spot in the superfecta a mile behind the winner.
15th Grade: S Distance: 660 Condition: Fast
Penny Candy 63 8 1 1 3 1 8 1 9 37.23 0.30 Popped The Box Mt
Gs Aidyn 53.5 2 4 4 3 2 9 37.87 29.10 Best Of The Rest
Lover Girl Tiffy 51.5 1 2 2 2 3 9.5 37.89 9.00 Held Distant Show
Se's Top Speed 62 4 8 5 4 4 15.5 38.30 14.00 Broke Slowly, Gained
Pat C Petula 58 7 5 3 5 5 17 38.42 19.30 No Room At Break
Kiowa Get Ya 57 5 3 6 6 6 18.5 38.52 9.30 Jolted Back Early
Uss Argentina 56.5 6 7 7 7 7 20.5 38.65 10.00 Shuffled At Break
Flying Brutus 68.5 3 6 8 8 8 23 38.84 15.30 Traffic At Break
D Q Williams Kennel, Bk, F, 01/20/06, STAN'S BOY FLYER - MAJESTIC ANGLE
8 Penny Candy 2.60 2.20 2.10
2 Gs Aidyn 6.20 2.10
1 Lover Girl Tiffy 2.10
QU(2-8) 12.40
PF(8-2) 21.60
TR(8-2-1) 35.40
SU(8-2-1-4) 81.40
QD(1-7 2-8) 70.00
QD(6-7 2-8) 38.20
WI(91)
The other good feel story of the evening came from a big pair of efforts from the James O’Donnell Kennel and their sister combination of Kiowa True Love and Kiowa Truefriend. Both of these greyhounds took early control and drew off a bit late for the win. The only kennel to win two races, Sue Gerard has these girls ready to go.
First up was Kiowa True Love in the 7th race. Sure she didn’t break on top, that was reserved for Santa’s Playgirl, but in the far turn is where she won this effort. She dove to the rail and drove right to the lead and once in front, she was not going to be denied. Props go out to Xtra Style who finished 2nd as she had to overcome some late blocking to get by the rest of the competitors in the deep stretch. Hobo Dan chase close throughout this race and deserved his third place finish and Santa’s Playgirl was short again in the stretch and even though she was not that far back, she still had to settle for a fourth place position at the finish line.
7th Grade: S Distance: 660 Condition: Fast
Kiowa True Love 60 4 3 2 1 1 1 3.5 37.85 6.50 Shot Past Leader Mt
Xtra Style 63 5 5 4 4 2 3.5 38.10 6.50 Despite Early Trbl
Hobo Dan 68 8 4 3 3 3 3.5 38.11 7.60 Settled For Show Mt
Santa's Playgirl 61 3 1 1 2 2 4 4 38.12 3.00 Early Leader, Tiring
Craigie Grandy 63 1 8 6 6 5 5.5 38.25 11.20 Slow Break, Improved
Gs Kruz 72.5 7 6 5 5 6 6.5 38.30 1.30 Blocked Escape Turn
Where's Elrika 58 6 2 7 7 7 7.5 38.37 23.40 Heavy Traffic Early
Ina's Ace 63.5 2 7 8 8 8 8 38.40 24.10 Jammed Back Early
James E. O'donnell, Jr., Bk, F, 11/02/05, Flying Penske - Kiowa Tom Long
4 Kiowa True Love 15.00 6.00 5.20
5 Xtra Style 6.80 4.80
8 Hobo Dan 6.60
QU(4-5) 49.00
PF(4-5) 129.90
TR(4-5-8) 629.20
SU(4-5-8-3) 1776.00
Kiowa Truefriend was under pressure for about the first turn and then it was just off to the races. Kiowa Deli Dobbs and Dirty Picture both were in the thick of things till the backside, but in the far turn it was starting to look like no one had a shot to beat her. She put the hammer down and raced off alone to win by an impressive 5 lengths. Newcomer to the distance, Dirty Picture, ran a strong second but he couldn’t gain on the leader late and had to settle for place. Throwing his hat into the ring in the final few stride was Pat C Go Boy. He closed from well off the pace to win the race for the show dough at the wire. Kiowa Deli Dobbs, who actually held the early lead in this race, drifted throughout and settled for fourth at the finish line.
11th Grade: S Distance: 660 Condition: Fast
Kiowa Truefriend 60.5 4 2 1 1 1 3 1 5 37.84 7.30 Drawing Away Mdtrk
Dirty Picture 72.5 8 3 2 2 2 5 38.20 3.50 Nearest Threat Mt
Pat C Go Boy 69 1 4 7 5 3 6.5 38.29 2.90 Battled Back Wide
Kiowa Deli Dobbs 67 6 1 3 3 4 7 38.33 23.70 Lost Position Late
Deco Deano 74.5 2 5 4 4 5 7 38.34 2.60 Raced Steadily Mt
Kelsos Nancy 64 3 6 8 7 6 8 38.40 11.50 No Room At Break
Ask Jenny 63 5 7 6 8 7 8.5 38.42 4.60 Went Wide In Turns
Mw's Starbright 55 7 8 5 6 8 8.5 38.43 17.30 Shuffled In Turns
James E. O'donnell, Jr., Bd, F, 11/02/05, Flying Penske - Kiowa Tom Long
4 Kiowa Truefriend 16.60 8.40 3.40
8 Dirty Picture 4.80 4.40
1 Pat C Go Boy 3.00
QU(4-8) 35.60
PF(4-8) 122.40
TR(4-8-1) 331.00
SU(4-8-1-6) 626.00
Although the favorite didn’t win the 14th race it ran about as close to chalk as you could have gotten in the first round. Throwing in the monkey wrench this time around was Flying Epic. This greyhound was the only true early speed in this race and he made the most of it. He bombed the lid and was long, long, long gone in the early stages. Sure he had the big closers behind him and trust me when I say they were coming, but in the deep stretch he turned it back on again and coasted across the finish line for the slim win. Uss Contender broker well from the outside and even though he made up several lengths throughout this race, they could not get to the leader in time, nor could he hold place to himself. The 2008 James J Patton Marathon Stakes winner, Racheal Lee, was coming late too and at the finish line, the pair could not be separated. Both finished in place as we see a dead heat at the wire. Rounding out the superfecta was Se’s We Going Too, who probably ran the best 660 yard race of her young career as she never gave up and closed from start to finish. Even though she finished fourth she was just 3 ½ lengths behind the winner at the finish line.
14th Grade: S Distance: 660 Condition: Fast
Flying Epic 69 7 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 37.67 6.70 Strong On The Lead
Racheal Lee 59 1 3 4 3 2 1 37.74 3.30 Dead Heat
Uss Contender 53.5 6 4 2 2 2 1 37.74 3.70 Dead Heat
Se's We Goin Too 57 2 6 5 4 4 3.5 37.93 14.50 Gradual Improvement
Pat C Shes Right 62.5 4 8 8 7 5 5.5 38.05 5.70 Missed Brk, Gained
Gs Jayla 58.5 8 2 3 5 6 7 38.17 9.70 Early Threat, Jammed
Kiowa Rockport 62 3 7 7 8 7 8.5 38.26 11.00 Dropped Back Quickly
Tom S Postulator 78.5 5 5 6 6 8 8.5 38.28 2.70 Lacked Racing Room
Steve Gilster Kennel, Dk Bd, M, 02/20/06, FLYING PENSKE - DALCASH VINTAGE*
7 Flying Epic 15.40 5.20 3.00
1 Racheal Lee 2.40 2.60
6 Uss Contender 2.40 2.40
QU(1-7) 16.60
QU(6-7) 12.20
PF(7-1) 39.90
PF(7-6) 54.00
TR(7-1-6) 108.20
TR(7-6-1) 102.00
SU(7-1-6-2) 374.70
SU(7-6-1-2) 321.30
QD(1017 tkts)
Saving the best longshot for last, Kat Jackofhearts, yes you did not see it wrong, was unabated to the early lead in the 9th race and proved best throughout in order to take home the victory. Granted he did get some help along the way as the race favorite Wired to Wind was beat up out of the starting box and had to work really hard early to get up into contention. This hurt him late as he didn’t have enough steam to take over the lead and win. Kudos to Jack though as Wired had his chance just a length off for a long run and he just refused to surrender the lead. Wired settled for second after a gallant effort. Third was Lover Girl Bambi who made up ground throughout and was not going to be denied a spot in the money tonight. Fourth was Hallo Cable Boy who closed from nowhere on the outside to eek out a spot in the superfecta by winning a late photo.
9th Grade: S Distance: 660 Condition: Fast
Kat Jackofhearts 74.5 7 1 1 2 1 1 1 3.5 37.67 7.80 Refused To Surrender
Wired To Wind 68.5 2 5 2 2 2 3.5 37.91 1.00 Pressured Winner Rl
Lover Girl Bambi 57 6 3 4 4 3 7.5 38.18 4.40 Reclaimed Show
Hallo Cable Boy 63.5 5 6 6 5 4 9 38.29 5.90 Jammed, Late Surge
Pat C Future 60 1 2 3 3 5 9 38.30 14.30 Early Flash, Bumped
Gs Tyrone 60 3 4 5 6 6 11.5 38.49 20.20 Bumped 1st Turn
Tk Battle Tested 61 8 8 8 7 7 16.5 38.83 5.90 Jammed At Break
Sunsand Violet 64 4 7 7 8 8 20.5 39.10 31.80 Remained Back
Connell Kennels, Inc., Bk, M, 07/17/05, Greys Flamebeau - Kat Sweetjasmine
7 Kat Jackofhearts 17.60 5.80 3.40
2 Wired To Wind 2.80 2.20
6 Lover Girl Bambi 2.60
QU(2-7) 18.20
PF(7-2) 135.00
TR(7-2-6) 361.60
SU(7-2-6-5) 415.00
The second round gets underway on Monday evening January 26th at the Orange Park Kennel Club. All five races will return and trust me when I say, watching the 2008 National Win Leader Penny Candy run again from the 8 box, will be worth the price of admission.
View Point Totals Here
