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Drawing the eight hole last Sunday, Blazing Chad looked like a lock to hike his winning streak to six in a row at Wheeling Island.
And why not?
The Grade AA sprinter, who runs as wide as the racetrack, has been on a mission this year after missing the final two months of the 2007 racing season.
In the first three months of 2008, Blazing Chad -- a June 2005 greyhound out of Dodgem By Design-Blazing Foxy -- had six sub-30 second races as well as several multi-length victories, including 11 1/2 and 9 1/2-length romps. Some racetrack observers believe Chad could challenge the 5/16 record if he draws an eight hole on a fast track.
"When Chad drew the eight hole, I thought he was a sure thing. That's where he wants to be," Darren Henry Kennel assistant trainer Jon Charlton said. "Even if he doesn't break sharp, he still has that big rush to the turn."
Chad broke seventh but was able to sprint up to fourth around the first turn -- still several lengths behind the leaders. Down the backside, around the far turn and heading home, Chad was still fourth and running out of time.
"He didn't get out like I expected him to from the eight hole," Charlton said. "Heading home I didn't think he had a chance."
Sweeping to the outside and dangerously close to the grass, Chad exploded like a rocket in the stretch. He got up by a half length at the wire in an unbelievable finish.
"I couldn't believe it, but the race showed how much Chad wants to win," Charlton said. "He showed a lot of heart and determination."
Considered more of a frontrunner, the race may have been one of Chad's best efforts.
Owner Charles Sabanty of Massachusetts also couldn't believe his eyes while watching the race on the Internet.
"I felt Chad had a great shot from the eight hole, but I really thought the streak was over," Sabanty noted. "In the stretch, he showed tremendous acceleration. I am very happy and excited with the way he's running."
Sabanty said Chad's wide running style is his only weakness, but it hasn't seemed to hamper his game this year.
"A lot of times, it's costly when you have a wide-running dog," Sabanty said.
Charlton said Chad is "the widest dog I've ever watched race" at Wheeling. "I'm surprised he doesn't run into the stands the way he swings the last turn."
In 14 Grade AA starts this year, Chad has 9 wins, 2 thirds and 1 fourth. He is tied with TK Quick Strike and Starz Supreme atop the track win leaderboard.
When Chad gets loose early, it can get ugly pretty fast. In addition to his 11 1/2 and 9 1/2-length victories this year, he also has posted 7 1/2, 7 (twice), 6 (twice) and 5-length wins during his Wheeling career.
"I don't think any dog at Wheeling can beat Chad one on one," Sabanty said. "In an eight dog race, it's a different story."
Chad has eclipsed the 30-second mark 10 times at Wheeling, including 29.57, 29.68, 29.69, 29.74, 29.76 and 29.84 times this year alone. In 2007, he stopped the clock in 29.68, 29.79, 29.83 and 29.98.
"He's the fastest dog in the kennel and we have some very fast dogs like Legend Of Zorro and BD's Flip," Charlton said. "Chad's also one of the fastest at the track. I don't think there's a dog at Wheeling who can catch him on the lead."
In Chad's six-race win streak, two of the midtrack runner's victories were from the two and three holes. In each, Chad got out of the gate early.
"Lately, he's been breaking better from the inside and then he moves to the outside," Charlton said. "When he's on the inside, he has to get out early."
Blazing Chad broke in at Southland in January 2007, winning three out of his four starts -- Maiden by a length, Grade C by 4 1/2 lengths and Grade B by 9 lengths. He launched his Wheeling career in early March at a mere 20 months old.
In 47 starts at Wheeling in 2007, Chad had 12 wins, 6 seconds, 4 thirds and 4 fourths as he bounced back and forth between Grade AA and A.
"His first year was a learning experience, but at times he showed what he was capable of doing. He started to struggle with his break late in the year so we took him off the last couple months," Charlton said. "We brought him back slowly, didn't want to rush anything. He got a good rest and now he's in a nice groove."
On the farm, Chad was not a standout as he is today.
James Brymer of Texas, who raised Chad until he was a year old, said he came from a nice litter (Blazing Darren also races at Wheeling in Grade AA)but none of them were standouts.
"It was a very nice litter of dogs, easy to handle, but none of them stood out above the others," Brymer related.
Joe Frey of Texas, who finished the litter in training, said Chad turned out "a whole lot nicer than I thought he would. On the farm, he never did anything that would make you turn cartwheels."
Frey was quick to credit Darren Henry and his crew for Chad's development.
"You couldn't ask for a better dogman than Darren," Frey said. "They take great care of their dogs and are very patient with them too."
IN THE HOMESTRETCH:
JUVENILE STAKE: The $35,000 West Virginia Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association Juvenile begins Saturday afternoon with a field of 48 sprinters.
The second round is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, April 16, and the semifinals on Monday afternoon, April 21.
The championship final is set for Saturday afternoon, April 26.
PICK 4: A new national Pick 4 wager has been announced by Delaware North Companies Gaming and Entertainment and includes Wheeling Island.
The new Pick 4 wager is set to debut Saturday evening and includes Daytona Beach, Southland and Phoenix in addition to Wheeling. It will take place once a week every Saturday evening.
Delaware?North Companies will guarantee a $10,000 gross pool. The takeout rate for the Pick 4 will be 25 percent and there will be no carryover provision.
The Pick 4 post time schedule, subject to change, includes:
Leg 1: Daytona (Race 13), 10:40 EDT
Leg 2: Southland (Race 10), 10:43 EDT (9:43 CDT)
Leg 3: Phoenix (Race 2), 10:46 EDT (7:46 CDT)
Leg 4: Wheeling (Race 15), 10:49 EDT
HOT DOGS: Douglas Kennel's KB's Best Buy has raced to four straight Grade AA victories for trainer Jim Roche. Kennel-mate Milo Tutt has two wins and a second in his last three outings.
Charter Kennel's TK Quick Strike has three Grade AA 3/8 wins in a row for trainer Rodney Cooley. Kennel-mate Switzler Salada has back-to-back victories (A, AA).
Steubenville Kennel's Kiowa Vasquez has won three out of his last four Grade AA 3/8 races for trainer Debbie Schweizer. Kennel-mates Kiowa Ya Mike has two wins and two seconds in his last four Grade AA starts while Magic Trixie has back-to-back Grade AA 7/16 victories.
Gable Kennel's Gable Pimiento has three wins and a second in her last four Grade AA races for trainer Wayne Piquette. Kennel-mate Cry Huron has three straight Grade AA victories while Gable Scoop (A, AA) and Gable Dingdong (A, AA) have back-to-back wins.
Lester Raines Kennel's USS Ricochet and Sol Reign have back-to-back Grade AA wins for trainer Joel Roden.
Cardinal Kennel's No Holds Barred has won three out of his last four outings (B, A, AA) for trainer Jerrod Varner.
Arivada-Plum Creek Kennel's Swiss Maid has two wins and two seconds in her last four 3/8 races for trainer Joe Otto.
Michael Green Kennel's BD's Grayson has won three out of his last four starts (D, C, B) for trainer Jim Grace.
A Ray Kennel's AMF Well Armed has back-to-back victories (B, A) for trainer Joe Palmer.
Wayne Ward Kennel's WW's Family Guy has two wins and a second in his last three starts for trainer Ron Otto.
Darren Henry Kennel's Braska Isa has two straight victories (B, A) for trainer Donna Wilcox.
Ryan Farms Kennel's Keenan has back-to-back 7/16 wins (C, B) for trainer Terry Green.
Steve Sarras Kennel's Sendahl Freddie has two straight 3/8 victories (C, B) for trainer Barbara Long.
C And C Kennel's SAS Shake N Bake has back-to-back wins (C, B) for trainer Patrick Bever.
Pawloski can be reached at sjpawloski@yahoo.com