The Orange Park Kennel Club is proud to announce that on Saturday Evening August 14th we will be having another All-American night at the racetrack. Not only will we be celebrating the best of the best for 2009, we will also be immortalizing them on a t-shirt.
Yes, you heard me right, free All-American t-shirts to the first 1000 patrons at the Orange Park Kennel Club, and other specials throughout the building on the special evening.
This time around we will get a little of the old with a little of the new as we celebrate the accomplishments of our 2009 All-American recipients Penny Candy and Count Ivan.
Penny Candy is no stranger to this award of all of the pomp and circumstance that comes with it. She has been here and done that as she was a member of the 2008 All-American Team, and gets to lavish in the glow once again in 2009. Count Ivan is new to the praise as he made his way onto the second team of All-Americans in 2009 by finishing 10th in voting.
Both greyhound earned what they were given in 2009 as each and fantastic seasons even though both greyhounds missed part of the year.
Penny Candy was really a stand out over the distance courses. Clearly she had a much better year than in 2008, but missing time she didn't get near the 42 wins she posted up over the campaign a year ago. What she did do was dominate! She was a force in any race that she was drawn into over 660 or 770 yards, and when the stakes lights shined brightest, so did Penny.
In the Orange Park Derby she made amends from her near miss in the finals in 2008 as she won the first three rounds in a row, and finished 3rd in the semis, too lead in points heading into the finals. There she really showed the determination that had made her a fan favorite. Breaking off the pace she weaved thru the field and picked off the greyhounds in front of her one by one heading into the stretch. There she put on an all outburst near the wire to steal away the victory from kennelmate Wired To Wind at the finish line.
With one stakes title under her belt she set her eyes on the next, the 2009 edition of the James J Patton Marathon Stakes. No one knew if she could top her efforts in the Orange Park Derby Finals, but Penny was ready to prove that it was just a warm up for this race. Over 770 yards Penny is a monster on the lead and when she gets there, the race is already over. Flying from the start in each and every one of the qualifying rounds, Penny was unbeaten heading into the finals. There she met a tough field, but that night, no one was going to beat her. As the box opened up, Penny was out stalking early and took early command by the turn. From that point the race just got UGLY! Penny drew away for fun and crossed the finish line 7 full lengths better than the field as she clocked her best time in the stakes at 43.74 seconds at the wire.
With two stakes wins under her belt and wins in seven of the eight stakes caliber, Penny was proving to be one of the best ever to strap on a muzzle at the Orange Park Kennel club. But winning the big one was not her only praise, her consistency showed the true heart of a champion. She started in 39 races, winning 25 times, and finishing in the money in 36 efforts. Only out of the cash on three occasions and one of those was a fall.
Congratulation once again head out to DQ & Sharon Williams, Trainer David Helton, and everyone else connected with this fantastic greyhound. She was really a once in a lifetime type of runner that had all of the tools at her disposable in each and every start. Break, drive, maneuverability, kick, desire, and tenacious determination that rivaled any that has every been seen over this oval.
Good luck on your next career as a momma, and hopefully in the future we will be seeing your sons and daughters here possessing some of the traits that you showed us doing your time on the racetrack.
What Penny Candy was to distance races in 2009, Count Ivan was to sprint races. In any race that he drew into he was a threat to win and most of the time he got it done. He was the 2009 win leader for the racetrack with 33 victories and 44 in the money finishes in his 57 starts.
What was neat about Ivan was that he started off the year as possible the best greyhound in the country and maintained a high level for the duration of the season.
No one was hotter over the fist could of months as Ivan put on a show over the Orange Park oval. Ivan won 16 of his first 19 races on the year, and that included 11 wins in a row, and some very special starts in the 2009 edition of the Jacksonville Sprint Classic.
Heading into the stakes Ivan was clearly the favorite to win and he didn't disappoint his backers. Hoarding points early one, Ivan breezed thru rounds one and two with victories before almost falling in the third round and finishing out of the money. Showing just what a champion is made of, Ivan bounced right back in his next effort with another thrilling victory. The finals was just another chance for him to shine and Ivan loves the spotlight. Breaking from an advantageous outside post, Ivan rocketed to the early lead and held tough throughout as he was pressed by Ru Tuff Enuf from box to wire. This was a thriller to watch and at no time was this victory clearly in hard. Ivan had to fight for every inch of dirt and sand that he could gather, and in the end, there he stood as the champion as he crossed the finish line in a near record time.
Coming back with fresh legs in July and heading back into the next stakes, the 2009 Sunshine State Silver Cup, Ivan was ready to make some noise once again. Showing that he was still the one to beat, Ivan dominated the first 3 rounds of the stakes on the front end. He coasted to victories in each of those efforts and was showing the form that gave him the stakes master title just a couple of months before. In the semi's he ran into trouble and finished 5th, but he already had enough points to see the final round race. Luck was on his side in the post position draw as he drew his coveted 8 box, but in the finals his luck ran out on the way to the turn. There Ivan was stalking the leaders, was bumped wide, and fell. Ruining his chance at back to back titles, Ivan had to settle for what he has already accomplished in the other stakes, a win.
Sulking has never been in his nature and right after the stakes ended Ivan won 5 of 6 races, including a run of 4 wins in a row. He continued to run strong for the remainder of the year and continued to carry that stakes clout in each and every effort.
Congratulation to owner Henry Howe, Kennel Owners Bill and Cathy Lambert, Trainer Tom Artzer, and everyone else connection with Big SAMS All-American status. Never will you see a more happy greyhound that Big Sam. He is all smiles all the time, but he also knows how to put on the game face when he wants to. Don't hurry him into retirement just yet though, I have a sneaky suspicion that he might be back for another try at a stakes title coming this August at the Orange Park Kennel Club.
No comments:
Post a Comment