Sports Columns

Nomemory living up to expectations

Janet Allen doesn't like to get too excited when talking about her greyhounds.

Come early next year, she may not have a choice.

San Tan Nomemory -- one of Wheeling's rising young stars -- just might be an entry in the third edition of the Derby Lane Million in St. Petersburg, Fla. The rich stake begins Feb. 9, 2008 and concludes with the final March 1.

"If Nomemory stays sound and if he's good enough, there's a chance he will run in the Million," Allen said from her Kansas home. "If he can win Grade AA at Wheeling, I think he can run against the best in the country."

For right now, Allen is "real pleased and happy" with Nomemory's progress at the Wheeling Island racetrack. Racing out of the Majestic Kennel, Nomemory has 7 wins, including back-to-back victories in Grade AA, 3 seconds, 2 thirds and 1 fourth in 13 starts.

It's been a long journey for the sprinter who raised more than a few eyebrows when he schooled prior to the 2007 National Greyhound Association Spring Meet in Kansas.

At Abilene Greyhound Park, Nomemory eclipsed the 30-second mark in four out of his five races -- 29.41, 29.45, 29.76 and 29.89. On the NGA track, Nomemory stopped the clock in 29.39 -- just off KB's Sifter's time of 29.33.

"Nomemory clocked some of the fastest times at our Oklahoma training track, at the Abilene training track and at the NGA track," Allen said. "I don't know if he's the best we've ever had, but I know my husband Ken is real high on him."

Misfortune struck, however, in the first round of the NGA Spring Meet when Nomemory injured a shoulder.

"It may have happened as soon as Nomemory stepped out of the box. He still finished the race second or third but we scratched him from the final," Allen recalled. "We immediately took him off the track and rested him for a couple months."

By mid-summer, Nomemory was back on the track and set to make his debut at Hollywood in Florida.

"He was all ready to go when we found out they were going to close Hollywood for a month," Allen said. "We didn't want him to sit any longer so we worked out a deal with Wayne Strong to bring Nomemory to Wheeling."

An August 2005 greyhound out of San Tan Riffraff-EF Cris Memory, Nomemory was handslipped a couple times at Wheeling before he was entered in official schooling in mid-August. He won both of his schoolers -- the first by 2 1/2 lengths with a driving effort and the second by a whopping 21 1/2 lengths in 29.97.

"A lot of times when new dogs come in you hear this and you hear that, but this dog's the real deal," Majestic Kennel trainer Joe Otto said.

It was easy to see why Nomemory turned some heads in Kansas as the youngster opened his Wheeling career with four straight victories. He won Maiden by 10 lengths in 29.82, Grade D by 3 1/2 lengths, Grade C by a neck and Grade B by 6 lengths.

"I wasn't surprised at all," Otto said. "He got some good boxes and he got into his races early."

In each of his first four victories, Nomemory was either first or second heading down the backside.

Grade A proved a learning experience for Nomemory. In his first five Grade A trips, he had 2 seconds, 2 thirds and 1 fourth.

"It took him a few races to adjust to Grade A and he also had some unfavorable boxes (four, five and six)," Otto said. "He wasn't breaking sharp from the middle but he ran hard every time out."

Nomemory got loose early in his next Grade A start and romped to a 7-length victory in 29.98. He was up by 3 lengths around the first turn.

"If he goes to the lead and nothing unusual happens, he's not going to lose," Otto said.

In three Grade AA races, Nomemory has a pair of victories and a second.

Nomemory rushed to the top early in his first win against the track's top sprinters and won by 2 1/2 lengths. In his second victory, he closed from fourth around the far turn to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

"In his last race, three dogs were bunched up around the last turn and he swooped around them on the outside," Otto said.

Allen tries to follow Nomemory's races on the Internet.

"I've been in this business for 28 years and I'm always surprised and grateful when one of my dogs wins," Allen said. "If he would pop off four or five wins in a row I might get a little excited."

Otto prefers Nomemory in the eight hole, but the sprinter has proven he can hit the ticket from any box.

"Nomemory's not lightning fast out of the box and he really doesn't have a monster rush. He has one steady drive the whole race," Otto said. "He's also a very determined greyhound on the racetrack."

Off the track, Otto said Nomemory is "laid back, mellow and shows no emotion. He's the perfect kennel dog."

Allen said Nomemory was a standout growing up on the farm.

"When Nomemory was young, you could tell he was different. Some dogs are just different," she said. "He was easy to train. He did everything right."

Now he's showing it on the track.

IN THE HOMESTRETCH:

HOT DOGS: Charter Kennel's Makin Bakin has raced to three straight Grade AA wins for trainer Rodney Cooley. Kennel-mates Tk Quick Strike (AA 3/8), I've Gotyou Babe (A, AA) and U Too Floy (B, A 3/8) have back-to-back victories.

C And C Kennel's Van Do has three Grade AA wins in a row for trainer Patrick Bever. Kennel-mate Quick Trent has three wins and a second in her last five races.

Majestic Kennel's CS Bosco has three straight Grade AA 3/8 victories for trainer Joe Otto. Kennel-mate Blackbear Pinner has won three out of her last four 3/8 trips (C, B, A).

Wayne Ward Kennel's Kay Shivon Sissy has three wins and a second in her last five Grade AA trips for trainer Ron Otto.

Douglas Kennel's CTW Plaza Rio has two wins and a second in his last three Grade AA 7/16 starts for trainer Jim Roche. Kennel-mate D's Tattersalad has back-to-back victories (B, A).

Lester Raines Kennel's E's Sweet Fay has two wins and a second in her last three starts for trainer Joel Roden.

Arivada-Plum Creek Kennel's Maxmilian Kohler has two wins and a third in his last three 3/8 starts for trainer Ricardo Pacheco.

Ryan Farms Kennel's Snow Flurry (C, B) and Maximine (C, B) have back-to-back victories for trainer Terry Green.

Gable Kennel's Gable Thinsulate has back-to-back wins (C, B) for trainer Wayne Piquette.

STAKE FINAL: Haber Kennel's Kicken Kalindi closed in the stretch to edge kennel-mate Sidewalk Swinger and capture the $65,000 West Virginia Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association Distance Stake last weekend at Tri-state Greyhound Park.

Race favorite Sidewalk Swinger nearly pulled off a box-to-wire effort only to come up a half-length short at the wire as Kicken Kalindi rallied from fourth at the escape. Rounding out the trifecta ticket was Sherri Canary (Haber Kennel).

Completing the final field were Fresh Catch (Haber Kennel), fourth; Chanel WV (Pierce Kennel), fifth; WV's Lavalette (Country Roads Kennel), sixth; Garrison WV (Pierce Kennel), seventh; and Steve The Beast (Haber Kennel), eighth.

Kicken Kalindi is owned by William Gibson of Wheeling.

Sports Columns

Nomemory living up to expectations

    Janet Allen doesn’t like to get too excited when talking about her greyhounds.

    Come early next year, she may not have a choice.

    San Tan Nomemory — one of Wheeling’s rising young stars — just might be an entry in the third edition of the Derby Lane Million in St. Petersburg, Fla. The rich stake begins Feb. 9, 2008 and concludes with the final March 1.

    “If Nomemory stays sound and if he’s good enough, there’s a chance he will run in the Million,” Allen said from her Kansas home. “If he can win Grade AA at Wheeling, I think he can run against the best in the country.”

    For right now, Allen is “real pleased and happy” with Nomemory’s progress at the Wheeling Island racetrack. Racing out of the Majestic Kennel, Nomemory has 7 wins, including back-to-back victories in Grade AA, 3 seconds, 2 thirds and 1 fourth in 13 starts.

    It’s been a long journey for the sprinter who raised more than a few eyebrows when he schooled prior to the 2007 National Greyhound Association Spring Meet in Kansas.

    At Abilene Greyhound Park, Nomemory eclipsed the 30-second mark in four out of his five races — 29.41, 29.45, 29.76 and 29.89. On the NGA track, Nomemory stopped the clock in 29.39 — just off KB’s Sifter’s time of 29.33.

    “Nomemory clocked some of the fastest times at our Oklahoma training track, at the Abilene training track and at the NGA track,” Allen said. “I don’t know if he’s the best we’ve ever had, but I know my husband Ken is real high on him.”

    Misfortune struck, however, in the first round of the NGA Spring Meet when Nomemory injured a shoulder.

    “It may have happened as soon as Nomemory stepped out of the box. He still finished the race second or third but we scratched him from the final,” Allen recalled. “We immediately took him off the track and rested him for a couple months.”

    By mid-summer, Nomemory was back on the track and set to make his debut at Hollywood in Florida.

    “He was all ready to go when we found out they were going to close Hollywood for a month,” Allen said. “We didn’t want him to sit any longer so we worked out a deal with Wayne Strong to bring Nomemory to Wheeling.”

    An August 2005 greyhound out of San Tan Riffraff-EF Cris Memory, Nomemory was handslipped a couple times at Wheeling before he was entered in official schooling in mid-August. He won both of his schoolers — the first by 2 1/2 lengths with a driving effort and the second by a whopping 21 1/2 lengths in 29.97.

    “A lot of times when new dogs come in you hear this and you hear that, but this dog’s the real deal,” Majestic Kennel trainer Joe Otto said.

    It was easy to see why Nomemory turned some heads in Kansas as the youngster opened his Wheeling career with four straight victories. He won Maiden by 10 lengths in 29.82, Grade D by 3 1/2 lengths, Grade C by a neck and Grade B by 6 lengths.

    “I wasn’t surprised at all,” Otto said. “He got some good boxes and he got into his races early.”

    In each of his first four victories, Nomemory was either first or second heading down the backside.

    Grade A proved a learning experience for Nomemory. In his first five Grade A trips, he had 2 seconds, 2 thirds and 1 fourth.

    “It took him a few races to adjust to Grade A and he also had some unfavorable boxes (four, five and six),” Otto said. “He wasn’t breaking sharp from the middle but he ran hard every time out.”

    Nomemory got loose early in his next Grade A start and romped to a 7-length victory in 29.98. He was up by 3 lengths around the first turn.

    “If he goes to the lead and nothing unusual happens, he’s not going to lose,” Otto said.

    In three Grade AA races, Nomemory has a pair of victories and a second.

    Nomemory rushed to the top early in his first win against the track’s top sprinters and won by 2 1/2 lengths. In his second victory, he closed from fourth around the far turn to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

    “In his last race, three dogs were bunched up around the last turn and he swooped around them on the outside,” Otto said.

    Allen tries to follow Nomemory’s races on the Internet.

    “I’ve been in this business for 28 years and I’m always surprised and grateful when one of my dogs wins,” Allen said. “If he would pop off four or five wins in a row I might get a little excited.”

    Otto prefers Nomemory in the eight hole, but the sprinter has proven he can hit the ticket from any box.

    “Nomemory’s not lightning fast out of the box and he really doesn’t have a monster rush. He has one steady drive the whole race,” Otto said. “He’s also a very determined greyhound on the racetrack.”

    Off the track, Otto said Nomemory is “laid back, mellow and shows no emotion. He’s the perfect kennel dog.”

    Allen said Nomemory was a standout growing up on the farm.

    “When Nomemory was young, you could tell he was different. Some dogs are just different,” she said. “He was easy to train. He did everything right.”

    Now he’s showing it on the track.

IN THE HOMESTRETCH:

    HOT DOGS: Charter Kennel’s Makin Bakin has raced to three straight Grade AA wins for trainer Rodney Cooley. Kennel-mates Tk Quick Strike (AA 3/8), I’ve Gotyou Babe (A, AA) and U Too Floy (B, A 3/8) have back-to-back victories.

    C And C Kennel’s Van Do has three Grade AA wins in a row for trainer Patrick Bever. Kennel-mate Quick Trent has three wins and a second in her last five races.

    Majestic Kennel’s CS Bosco has three straight Grade AA 3/8 victories for trainer Joe Otto. Kennel-mate Blackbear Pinner has won three out of her last four 3/8 trips (C, B, A).

     Wayne Ward Kennel’s Kay Shivon Sissy has three wins and a second in her last five Grade AA trips for trainer Ron Otto.

    Douglas Kennel’s CTW Plaza Rio has two wins and a second in his last three Grade AA 7/16 starts for trainer Jim Roche. Kennel-mate D’s Tattersalad has back-to-back victories (B, A).

    Lester Raines Kennel’s E’s Sweet Fay has two wins and a second in her last three starts for trainer Joel Roden.

    Arivada-Plum Creek Kennel’s Maxmilian Kohler has two wins and a third in his last three 3/8 starts for trainer Ricardo Pacheco.

    Ryan Farms Kennel’s Snow Flurry (C, B) and Maximine (C, B) have back-to-back victories for trainer Terry Green.

    Gable Kennel’s Gable Thinsulate has back-to-back wins (C, B) for trainer Wayne Piquette.

    STAKE FINAL: Haber Kennel’s Kicken Kalindi closed in the stretch to edge kennel-mate Sidewalk Swinger and capture the $65,000 West Virginia Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association Distance Stake last weekend at Tri-state Greyhound Park.

    Race favorite Sidewalk Swinger nearly pulled off a box-to-wire effort only to come up a half-length short at the wire as Kicken Kalindi rallied from fourth at the escape. Rounding out the trifecta ticket was Sherri Canary (Haber Kennel).

    Completing the final field were Fresh Catch (Haber Kennel), fourth; Chanel WV (Pierce Kennel), fifth; WV’s Lavalette (Country Roads Kennel), sixth; Garrison WV (Pierce Kennel), seventh; and Steve The Beast (Haber Kennel), eighth.

    Kicken Kalindi is owned by William Gibson of Wheeling.