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Crazy Derby Win for Farmer Racing
“It was a goal for me to win the historic derby when I got my own booking at Derby Lane,” said Farmer Racing kennel owner and trainer John Farmer in the winner’s circle after the 89th running of the St. Petersburg Derby on June 27. Farmer had stacked the deck in North America’s longest running 660-yard stakes race with two strong entries that finished first and third in the race.
HKF CRAZY HORSE that just returned to the kennel roster after a two-month layoff was a finalist in the Distance Classic in April. He was pulled after his fifth place finish. Crazy Horse was obviously rested and ready for the challenge. “I really liked his rail post in that tough field,” said Farmer. Crazy Horse wore the red blanket proudly as he rocketed from the box and never looked back. The 72-pound son of Kiowa Sweet Trey and USS Arlington upset the bet favorite MEGA NERFETTA and paid $19.40, $11.60, and $9.00 across the board.
Farmer’s second entry HIGHLYCLASSIFIED was the second bet favorite. On May 27 HIGHLYCLASSIFIED sizzled around the 660-yard oval in a season’s best time of 36.72. HIGHLYCLASSIFIED was held up early and closed the gap in his third place position.
Abernathy kennel’s O YA FANCY FREE put forth a winning effort to close the gap from four lengths to two at the wire. Nova kennel’s powerful closer SE’S THE COMMISH completed the superfecta.
 
Read and view the consolation race:
 Commentary is provided by Vera Rasnake, frequent contributor to the Greyhound Review. Follow her on Twitter @topgreyhound
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Gutsy Performance for Half Way There!
Challenged throughout, HALF WAY THERE (Black Kennel) gave a gutsy performance to win the $60,000 Juvenile Stakes Saturday, July 4 at Bluffs Run.
“I’m happy,” trainer Jeremy Wilkinson said. “He loves the eight hole. I just wanted him to do the best he could and he got the job done.” The eight box has been magical for the 68 pounder, born July 26, 2013 out of former Bluffs Run star LITTLE ANDY X PAL WW WENDY. This is his fourth straight win from the eight box.
For the final, HALF WAY THERE broke fourth and got into an immediate battle with SWEET CHEESES (Filipelli/Miner), out of the three box, and BOC’S EXECUTIVE (Boeckenstedt), out of the four, for the front stretch lead.
“I saw him go to the front,” said Wilkinson, “and that’s where I wanted him to be.” SWEET CHEESES battled HALF WAY THERE as the pair vied for the lead going around the first turn. HALF WAY THERE won that fight entering the backstretch only then to have to deal with BOC’S EXECUTIVE in the backstretch.
 Commentary provided by Steve Sigafoose, previously a sports editor of the Council Bluffs, Iowa Daily Nonpareil. He is a contributor to the NGA. Contact him at slsig1@cox.net
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The Queens Come Out on Top!
Surprising both the patrons at the Iowa Greyhound Park and her own trainer, KC DEVIOUS put on a terrific late run to nip SLATEX ELVIS by a neck in winning the $30,000 King & Queen Stakes Saturday, July 4.
“I am just amazed,” said Stidham Racing trainer Alicia Bushey. “I am impressed with this field and felt we were just lucky to get into it. I didn’t think we had too good a chance (at winning the race).”
KC DEVIOUS, a 65-pound female, born March 14, 2012 out of DRAGON FIRE X KC WHO DO, had to get lucky to make the final. Three of the Queens tied for the third and fourth final berths on the ladies’ side and the trainers had to pluck balls out of a jar to see which two would make the final.
Photo provided by Gary Dura, commentary provided by Steve Sigafoose.
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Getting "Fired Up" for the Derby
Sitting in nineteenth place with just one qualifying round to go, things didn’t look so bright for Lester Raines Kennel’s FLYING FIRED UP, an 80 pound black male owned by Vince Berland. He had totaled only 23 qualifying points and was a solid 13 points behind the 8th place position. A win seemed like the only way he would have a shot to pull off a spot in the championship of the Southland Derby. Even if a win occurred, it would seem like a long shot that he would make the finals, let alone win the championship. The term “long shot” would be a theme in this dog’s young career thus far.
“Just get in and you have a chance to win.” That is a common theme in stakes racing and it is never truer than in a championship race. More odds became stacked against FLYING FIRED UP including the fact that he drew the most unfavorable box in racing, the #5 post position. The seven other competitors he would be facing included proven stakes champion COUNSELOR (Hound Madness), and 4 other greyhounds that ran in multiple stakes races.
 Commentary provided by Shane Bolender, Director of Racing at Southland Greyhound Park.
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Exciting Win for Need My Moneynow!
In the middle of June, thirty two Texas-bred athletes set their sights on the grand prize of attempting to win the richest stakes race offered in the state of Texas in 2015, the $10,000 Diane Whiteley Sprint Championship sponsored by the Texas Greyhound Association and Gulf Greyhound Park.
Let’s ask a question, how often does a sports team or an individual athlete overcome all of the pressure accompanied that comes along with being expected to accomplish the ultimate goal of winning? On some occasions, the expectations fall to the wayside with loads of disappointment but there are instances when the dreams actually do come true.
Before the athletes even set their paws on the 550-yard La Marque, Texas racing oval, everyone knew that the one to beat was the hottest greyhound at Gulf Greyhound Park and win leader, NEED MY MONEYNOW from D.Q. Williams Kennel. Heading into the stakes competition, the 68-pound white/black son of NO MORE LOVING X NEED A DATE born on July 1, 2012 was riding the wave of a four race winning streak including giving a career best performance of 29.56 seconds on June 6th.
 Commentary is provided by Ron Godfroy, Director of Racing at Gulf Greyhound Park. Follow him on Twitter @RonHawk70
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AMF Spamwich Captures Kellas Sprint Stakes
It’s not easy to go through the qualifying rounds of a stakes race undefeated and then capture the championship final.
In the history of Wheeling Island racing, only three greyhounds – BEAU BOOGIE (1979), GREYS BEAVER (1992) and SMA’S MURPHY (1998) – won all of their preliminary round races and then the final in non-West Virginia bred sprint stakes.
Make it four.
AMF SPAMWICH, a 3 ½-year-old A Ray Kennel greyhound, displayed her patented come-from-behind closing rush to capture the $25,000 George Kellas Memorial Sprint Stakes at Wheeling Island over the July Fourth holiday weekend. CRY FIRESTAR (Clear The Way Kennel) took runner up honors while PJ PURE GOLD (A Ray Kennel) rounded out the trifecta ticket.
 Commentary and photo provided by Stan Pawloski, writer for the Greyhound Review. Click here for Stan's NGA profile.
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