Ten Years Ago This Month

The cover of the May 1998 Greyhound Review featured Greys Flamebeau in full stretch winning the Derby Lane Sprint Classic. Breaking from box 1, he took the early lead and held on for a 2½ length victory over Kola Cora. Bomb Threat ran a distant third to round out the Trifecta. One week earlier, Bomb Threat won the Derby Lane Matinee Idol feature over Oshkosh Slammer and Dory’s Down Town, a good couple weeks for Mick D’Arcy and the Greymeadow Kennel at Derby Lane.

At Palm Beach, a Jacksonville greyhound captured the St. Patrick’s Invitational for the second year running. Twilite Polygram just held of a hard-charging ML Dusty Trail to win by half a length. ML Torpedo Lane ran another length back. Hi Stepper Mo won for Jacksonville in 1997. Also at Palm Beach, Seegold Excell won the 1998 Bob Balfe/Molyneux Cup Puppy Stake. Conchy Girl ran second followed by Shogun Rowdy.

The 1997 All-PBKC team was named, headed by ML Dusty Trail. He won 39 races at Palm Beach in 1997 including the $25,000 He’s My Man Classic. Hey Father John won the James W. Paul Derby and 41 races overall in 1997, including 13-straight. Dusty’s kennelmates ML Torpedo Run, ML Taffy Crunch and ML Foxy Move also made the team. They won 33, 27 and 28 races, respectively. ML Taffy Crunch won the first Night Of Stars event at Palm Beach. Conched Out won the 1997 Bob Balfe/Molyneux Cup Puppy Stake and 30 overall. Pat C Wagged was a 28-race winner despite missing six weeks to injury. Finally, Champions Kennel’s Hey Citgo won the 1997 Fall Futurity to nail down the final spot on the team.

At Raynham-Taunton, Pat C Westpark won the 1998 Patriot’s Day stake in box-to-wire fashion over a strong field that included RGS Chippewa and Twilite High Spy.

Out west, Honest Crow won the 1998 Phoenix Derby in a minor upset over Wigwam Whoopi, littermate of Wigwam Hoss and a star in her own right. She came back a year later to add the Phoenix Derby to her trophy case. Along with sibs like Wigwam Go N Whoa and Wigwam Nifty, they amassed 233 wins and their dam Rileys Marymary was 3rd in the 1998 Dam Standings and 5th in 1997.

At Tri-State, Jimbo Okie added the Spring Sprint Classic to his litter’s cache of major stakes wins. Black Chevy Star ran second followed by Ole Harry. Jimbo Okie had already won the 1997 Tri-State Holiday Distance Classic.

Among the Breedings Reported was the productive Flying Train - Craigie C Riley mating that produced 2000 Bluffs Run star Craigie Prancer for John Boyd.