For Immediate Release
May 3, 2018
A REAL CINDERELLA STORY!
FLAT CHAT CUPPA ROMPS TO EASY WIN IN
PALM BEACH KENNEL CLUB’S
$20,000 BOB BALFE PUPPY STAKES CHAMPIONSHIP!
West Palm Beach, Fl. – Janie Carroll Kennel’s Flat Chat Cuppa put on a smoke show for racing fans as she scored a stunning victory in the 52nd running of Palm Beach Kennel Club’s $20,000 Bob Balfe Puppy Stakes, Saturday afternoon, April 28.
In this edition of the Puppy Stakes, as last year, it was literally over a few seconds after the starting box opened.
The finale began with Dangerouspequena breaking on top with Flat Chat Cuppa making a beeline to the first turn and taking the lead as the field entered the backstretch.
However, most eyes were on the Greyhound who went undefeated through the four qualifying rounds, the sensational youngster, BY’s Wonka.
After breaking last, which was not a surprise, Wonka let the field pass him in the rush to the first turn and was setting himself up to use his rocket-like late speed.
But an untimely bump at the first turn most likely set him back by two or three lengths and allowing Flat Chat Cuppa to extend her lead.
Entering the far turn and top of the homestretch, it was clear no one was going to catch “Yodel”. The battle now was for the remaining top three-paying spots.
Giving chase to Cuppa was Dangerouspequena and the strong-finishers Turbo Sibley, JT’s In The Bank and the fast-closing BY’s Wonka, but as it turned out, to no avail.
Flat Chat Cuppa traversed the 545-Yard Royal Palm Course in a speedy 29.43 seconds, winning by four lengths and returning a respectable $15.00 for a $2-win ticket.
Flat Chat Cuppa earned a cool $10,000 for her Bob Balfe championship victory.
Turbo Sibley, BY’s Wonka and JT’s In The Bank finished second, third and fourth, respectively.
The complete order of finish:
1st – Flat Chat Cuppa (KC And All – Kiowa Jill Vik, Janie Carroll)
2nd – Turbo Sibley (Seldom Told – Simplicity Red, Rader Racing)
3rd – BY’s Wonka (Trent Lee – Skatter McBones, Rader Racing Kennel)
4th – JT’s In The Bank (Pat C Sabbath – Julianne Hough, Koppe, Staats & Collins)
5th – Dangerouspequena (KC And All – Go Bon Rainyday, Royal Racing Team)
6th – Racing Wishes (Kiowa Mon Manny – Racing Angel, Lester Raines)
7th – PJ Igotfiveonit (KC And All – Kelsos Tuscany, Rader Racing)
8th – Amazing Chick (KC And All – Amazing Chesney, James Douglas)
What makes this a true Cinderella story is the fact that Flat Chat Cuppa is owned by first-time owner and Greyhound adopter Kristine Metz.
Metz, who with her family, has been adopting greyhounds for 20 years.
“I said to my mom, why are we always adopting other people’s dogs?” Metz told us about finding their future champion back in 2016. “Why not try racing one and see what happens. You only live once.”
So that’s what Metz and their family did. They contacted nationally recognized greyhound farm owner Bob Crossland in Missouri and picked out “Yodel” from a set of pictures. They named her Flat Chat Cuppa after Kristine’s love of Australian slang and her mother’s coffee drinking habit. That’s when the journey began for the first-time racing owner.
Metz and her family would get little bits and pieces of Yodel’s progress during her training as a youngster, but even Metz was surprised when Flat Chat’s first schooling races she won by nearly 30 lengths combined.
Getting to the final, Cuppa went off as the 7-1 long shot with super closer BY’s Wonka & veteran JT’s In The Bank being the biggest plays. But it would be Yodel that would be the one taking the glory on this day. Metz and her family flew down from New Jersey on a hunch that something special was going to take place.
“Everyone was talking about Wonka and In The Bank, but I had immense pride as I’ve seen Yodel running in all different boxes that she was never in and doing reasonably well,” Metz told us. “When my friend Mary Ann Dituro asked what I thought of the 8 box she drew, I said it was all good. She will do us proud and try her best. And she did!
And how did Flat Chat Cuppa get her name? As it turns out, “Flat Chat” is Australian slang for “very fast”. And Cuppa? Kristine’s mother absolutely loves her “cuppa” coffee in the morning!
A special thank you goes out to Palm Beach Jason of www.watchandwager.com for contributing to this story.
The Puppy Stakes is named in honor of former Palm Beach Post Time sports columnist and great friend to Greyhound racing, Bob Balfe.
Contact: Jeff Prince (561) 683-2222, Ext. 126 / jprince@pbkennelclub.com
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