ROUND TWO QUALIFYING FOR PALM BEACH KENNEL CLUB’S $50,000 JAMES W. PAUL DERBY, SATURDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 9!
West Palm Beach, Fl. – Second-round qualifying action for Palm Beach Kennel Club’s $50,000 James W. Paul 3/8ths Mile Derby takes place Saturday afternoon, February 9.
Forty-Six Greyhounds from round one will compete Saturday afternoon in six qualifying events.
Following the second round, the field will be trimmed to 32 for round three on Wednesday afternoon, February 13.
After round three, the entries will be cut to the top sixteen-point earners and will compete in the semifinals on Sunday afternoon, February 17. The top eight-point earners after the semi’s will go on to compete in the final of the $50,000 James W. Paul 3/8ths Mile Derby on Saturday afternoon, February 23.
A quick rundown of Saturday afternoon’s qualifiers:
Race 6 features round-one qualifying victor, #1 Newburyport (Djays Octane – Myra Kraft, Rader Racing Kennel). The fastest of all of Wednesday’s first-round winners is in a great spot to repeat if she has the lead entering the home stretch for the first time.
Moving onto Race 8, we have two first-round winners competing in the sleek and fast forms of #5 Pat C Verona (SH Avatar – Idaho Cuda, Koppe, Staats & Collins Kennel) and #6 O Ya Fire Fly (Kiowa Mon Manny – O Ya Victoria, Lester Raines Kennel). Both Derby entries won their respective races in box-to-wire fashion and it will be interesting to see if either can repeat. There are possibilities that other Greyhounds could pull off the victory. This is going to be a fun one to handicap and watch!
No first- round winners in Race 10 but, an interesting qualifier none the less. The usual suspects look to be the fan favorites, #7 Bartsrunninloose (Pac C Clement – Barts Magpie, James Douglas Kennel) and #8 KB’s Davilla (Atascocita Gray – BOC Haiti Baby, Rader Racing). Also, keep an eye on #5 Onlyonceinawhile (Jack Junior – Shot At The Nite, Janie Carroll Kennel) in the scenario she is the pacesetter and the well-posted closer #1 Barts Jasmine (Deerfield Mover* – Barts Lilac, James Douglas).
Race 12 will also highlight two round-one victors, #3 TC’s Bitterman (Djays Octane – Hail Storm Bones, James Douglas) and #5 Elizabeth Banks (Pac C Clement – WW Lonesome Dove, D. Q. Williams Kennel), both of whom won their events going box-to-wire. The fly in the ointment is the Greyhound posted between the two, another starting-box buster #4 BR Gigamotion (Gigawatt – Shake It For Me, B & B Racing Kennel). Also of note is the well-positioned #8 NJ War Front (Djays Octane – PJ Get Out, Rader Racing).
In Race 14, the Greyhound to beat is #7 Daniel Craig (Flying Westover – Paul Walker, D. Q. Williams). He is set up nicely to score his first qualifying victory.
The final qualifier of the afternoon in Race 15 features round-one victor #6 Stoughton (Djays Octane – Myra Kraft, Rader Racing). If this nice-looking pup rushes the first turn like she did last time, then she has a great shot at entering round three undefeated. Possible challengers include the well-positioned #1 Bartsblackrushin (Gold Town* – Barts Magpie, James Douglas) and the early-speed specialist #8 LN Belle Starr (BOC’s Blast Off – Superior Rasta, B & B Racing).
Post time for Saturday afternoon’s first race is 1:00 p.m.
This will be the 88th running of the Derby, one of the nation’s longest running stake events, and is named in honor of humanitarian, greyhound owner and dedicated supporter of Greyhound adoption James W. Paul.
Contact: Jeff Prince (561) 683-2222, Ext. 126 / jprince@pbkennelclub.com
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