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For the first year of Witch Hazel's racing career, she was an average sprinter in Grades C and B at Southland Greyhound Park.
Since coming to Wheeling in September, she's been a different greyhound.
Moved to 3/8, Witch Hazel has turned her career around. She's won six out of her first 10 trips on the backside at Wheeling, including a pair in Grade AA.
"Witch Hazel was brought up to Wheeling from Southland to run distance," Ryan Farms Kennel trainer Terry Green said. "So far we're tickled to death with the way she's running. We had no clue what she was capable of doing."
At Southland, Witch Hazel had 2 wins, 6 seconds, 8 thirds and 3 fourths in 32 starts -- all but two in 5/16. In her two 3/8 races, Witch Hazel quit in the first one and checked at the escape in the second.
"Witch Hazel was young when she tried 3/8 at Southland and a common problem with some pups is they don't know they are supposed to keep running when they reach the escape. When she got to Wheeling, we handslipped her from 3/8 and then schooled her 3/8 to show it to her," Green said. "She learned real quick and I believe she got some confidence. It was like she belonged there (3/8)."
In Witch Hazel's official 3/8 schooling race, she closed in the stretch to catch San Tan Givememo (a Grade A greyhound) by 2 1/2 lengths. Then she ran second by a neck in an official Grade D sprint before making the move to 3/8.
The West Virginia-bred Witch Hazel -- a January 2005 greyhound out of WW Time Warp-Salute -- easily captured her Grade D 3/8 race, rushing home from second in the stretch to win by 2 lengths. Following a fourth in her first Grade C trip, Witch Hazel romped to a 9-length victory in her next outing.
In her Grade D and C victories, Witch Hazel was second at the escape. The railrunner also had favorable two and three boxes.
"She runs under the rail … as close to the rail as she can," Green noted. "Her game depends on who is in front of her. If it's another rail dog, I don't know if she'll go around the dog."
After a third and a fourth in her first two Grade B starts, Witch Hazel came roaring home from fourth in the stretch to win Grade B by a length in a quick 38.01. Again, she waited for the rail to open up.
"If they give Witch Hazel an inch on the rail, she'll get under and look like Man 'O War coming home," Green said. "If she doesn't, she won't look that impressive."
Witch Hazel ran fifth in her first Grade A start when "the rail never opened," Green said. It was a different story in her next start.
Racing fifth at the escape, Witch Hazel was able to move up to third coming home. Down the stretch, she wouldn't be denied as she got up by a length at the wire.
Witch Hazel made it back-to-back wins as she prevailed in her first Grade AA race, although Green said she benefitted from early traffic.
"She broke last but came out of the first turn fourth on the rail after a big early collision involving several dogs," Green said. "She definitely took advantage of the jam."
Witch Hazel moved up to third at the escape before powering her way home for a length victory over Braska Cando -- one of the track's top distance runners.
Starting to draw the attention of racing fans with her fantastic finishes, Witch Hazel posted her most impressive performance in her next Grade AA start.
Breaking last again, the budding middle distance star moved up to sixth at the escape but still trailed the leaders by several lengths. Witch Hazel began to close down the backstretch, but still was sixth coming home.
Finally, the rail opened and Witch Hazel made her move. Absolutely flying in the stretch, she was able to get up by a length at the wire for her third straight come-from-behind victory.
"All the way down the backstretch she was blocked on the rail but waited and waited. It wasn't a big gap when she found room but she got her nose in front and powered her way through," Green said. "She ran an awesome race. The thing that excited me was she did it all on her own."
Ryan Farms Kennel operator Don Ryan also was ecstatic with Witch Hazel's second Grade AA victory.
"She showed a lot of smarts in that race. When she did get through, she was driving so desperately on the rail," Ryan said. "I was very impressed."
Green said Witch Hazel has exceeded his expectations.
"I never thought she's be this good. I thought maybe she'd win a Grade B," Green related. "She keeps surprising us and I hope it stays like that."
Ryan also is a little surprised by Witch Hazel's accomplishments at Wheeling.
"While she did okay at Southland as a Grade C-B sprinter, I am surprised to a degree by her movement into the top grades at Wheeling. It was a little unexpected," Ryan said. "We definitely are very pleased with her."
Both Green and Ryan feel Witch Hazel could go the longer marathon distance, but don't look for it happening anytime soon.
"She's not tired at all after her 3/8 races and she shows every sign she can go longer," Green said. "But why fix something that's not broken? When she forces our hand, we'll move her."
Ryan said the rail tends to get a little slower in the winter months so that may dictate a change in distance for Witch Hazel.
Witch Hazel is owned by Kermit Klosterman.
IN THE HOMESTRETCH:
QUICK TRIP: Charter Kennel's TK Quick Strike romped to a 10-length Grade AA victory Wednesday in 37.62 -- believed to be the fastest 3/8 time this year. The track record of 37.40 is held by DEA's Magictouch, who also holds the track 7/16 mark of 42.09.
HOT DOGS: C And C Kennel's Tommy Commander (AA) and KB's Seadog (M, D, C) have raced to three straight victories for trainer Patrick Bever. Kennel-mates Behave Lee has won three out of her last four Grade AA starts while Let's Get Real (AA 7/16) and Super Lee (A, AA) have back-to-back wins.
Darren Henry Kennel's Legend Of Zorro has three wins and a second in her last five Grade AA races for trainer Donna Wilcox. Kennel-mate Padre Of Ruckus has back-to-back 3/8 wins (C, B).
Ryan Farms Kennel's Bow Grasshopper has won three out of her last four Grade AA trips for trainer Terry Green.
Flying Eagles-Miner Kennel's Flat Out Ady has back-to-back Grade AA victories for trainer Jay Hawkins.
Steubenville Kennel's Kiowa Apple Lyde (AA 3/8) and Kiowa Element (B, A 3/8) have back-to-back wins for trainer Debbie Schweizer.
Mike Fynmore Kennel's I Get Around has two wins and two seconds in her last four outings for trainer James Stewart.
A Ray Kennel's Greys Mysticrose has two wins and a second in her last three 3/8 starts for trainer Joe Palmer. Kennel-mate Greys Tigercliff has back-to-back victories (C, B).
Thorne-Abrahamson Kennel's Jax Carl has two straight wins (C, B) for trainer Tom Engle.
Michael Green Kennel's Joe's Dog has back-to-back victories (C, B) for trainer Jim Grace.
Pawloski can be reached at sjpawloski@yahoo.com