BARTS BIG BANG GOES BOX-TO-WIRE TO CLAIM VICTORY IN PALM BEACH KENNEL CLUB’S
$50,000 JAMES W. PAUL 3/8THS MILE DERBY!
West Palm Beach, Fl. – In one of the most exciting finishes in a Palm Beach Kennel Club stake race, James Douglas Kennel’s Barts Big Bang held off Rader Racing Kennel’s PJ Whattheywant to win the 87th running of Palm Beach Kennel Club’s $50,000 James W. Paul 3/8ths Mile Derby.
As the starting box opened for the finale, it was Barts Big Bang jumping to the early lead, followed by JS Mane Event, PJ Whattheywant, Bartsrunninloose and Popgun Episode. As the finalists straightened out for the run down the front stretch, it was “Stu” maintaining a one-length lead over Mane Event and the strong finisher Whattheywant.
Entering the backstretch, it was still “Triple B” in command, but with the big finishers in the race starting to make their move.
In the sprint for the wire, it was down to Barts Big Bang and the quickly closing PJ Whattheywant.
“My heart was pounding” said a still stunned, but happy, trainer Justin Douglas.
As the two finalists hit the finish line, it was Big Bang holding off Whattheywant by one-half length to win the Douglas Kennel their first $50,000 James W. Paul Derby championship.
“I owe it all to my dad”, reflected the younger Douglas. “He told me what to do and I did it. It obviously worked out. I’m very proud of my dad and my entire family.”
Popgun Episode and Atascocita Carey finished third and fourth, respectively.
Barts Big Bang collected a cool $25,000 for his 37-seconds run of fun in the south Florida sun and returned $5.40 to his many, many supporters.
The complete 2018 $50,000 James W. Paul 3/8ths Mile Derby order of finish:
1st – 3. Barts Big Bang (Pat C Clement – Barts Magpie, James Douglas)
2nd – 6. PJ Whattheywant (Djays Octane – Whats Next, Rader Racing)
3rd – 1. Popgun Episode (Bob’s Skeet – Kpop Episode, B & B Racing)
4th – 8. Atascocita Carey (Flying Westover – Atascocita Doris, Lester Raines)
5th – 5. Rcknative Spirit (Pat C Clement – RCK Spirit, Suncoast Kennel)
6th – 7. Bartsrunninloose (Pat C Clement – Barts Magpie, James Douglas)
7th – 2. JS Mane Event (KC And All – TY Kay Event, Rader Racing)
8th – 4. Kaias Blue Belle (Trent Lee – Kaias Dahlia, Royal Racing Team)
This was the 87th 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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