Trust Fund Baby captures Juvenile
After Trust Fund Baby smoked a 14-length, 29.52 victory in the semifinals of the $35,000 West Virginia Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association Juvenile at Wheeling Island, trainer Jim Grace was a bit uneasy.
The Green-Maupin Kennel handler was hoping Trust Fund Baby — a virtual lock for the final after winning her first two rounds — would have a relatively routine effort in the semis.
“All I wanted for Baby to do in the semifinals was get around the track safely, not win by 14 lengths in a sizzling time,” Grace noted. “That kind of race can take a lot out of a greyhound — it depletes a lot of energy. I was a little worried after that race.”
Despite her spectacular semifinal race, Trust Fund Baby — an April 2006 greyhound out of Kiowa Sweet Trey-Iruska Camry — was up to the task last Saturday afternoon in the final as she closed in the stretch to edge Flat Out Yardley (Flying Eagles-Miner Kennel) for the Juvenile championship. Wuzinyurwallet, a littermate of Trust Fund Baby, came flying in the stretch to round out the trifecta ticket.
“It doesn’t matter how long you are in this business, it’s always a special feeling to win a stake final,” Grace said. “It was a very competitive field of greyhounds and I think the top eight made the final.”
Completing the final field were D’s Enzios (Douglas Kennel), fourth; D’s Snow White (Douglas Kennel), fifth; Iruska Frankford (Steve Sarras Kennel), sixth; BJ’s Sure Enuff (Lester Raines Kennel), seventh; and RWC Strawberry (Mountaineer Racing Kennel), eighth.
Trust Fund Baby’s co-owners Lauretta and Harvey Maupin and Marena Riggin of Riggin Racing Inc. were thrilled with the youngster’s come-from-behind victory.
“I’m ecstatic. Baby has shown such progression from the time she opened her career at Tri-state,” Harvey Maupin said. “I am so grateful to be a co-owner with Marena Riggin of this litter.”
Riggin, who won the Juvenile three years ago with Iruska Creme Pie, was equally overjoyed the second time around.
“It’s exciting but you are so nervous. The adrenalin is pumping,” Riggin said. “We were all so proud to get three dogs in the final. They are very talented.”
Trust Fund Baby and Wuzinyurwallet were sent to post as co-favorites in the Juvenile final after each soared through the preliminary round races unbeaten.
“They really took to the track when they came up from Tri-state (Greyhound Park). They schooled well and just took off,” Grace said. “It’s not very often a dog goes through the early rounds undefeated and then wins the final. It’s very hard to do, just like the New England Patriots found out in this year’s Super Bowl.”
Post positions for the Juvenile final from the rail out were 1–D’s Enzios, 2–Flat Out Yardley, 3–RWC Strawberry, 4–Iruska Frankford, 5–BJ’s Sure Enuff, 6–Trust Fund Baby, 7–D’s Snow White and 8–Wuzinyurwallet.
“I would have preferred to have the post positions for Trust Fund Baby and Wuzinyurwallet reversed, but it wasn’t a major problem,” Grace said. “I think both of them can run from any post.”
At the break, Flat Out Yardley, RWC Strawberry and Trust Fund Baby exploded out of the box. As the three headed to the turn side-by-side, trouble loomed.
“I really thought Baby would beat the others dogs to the turn, get the lead and she’d be gone,” Grace said. “When the three dogs went to the turn, I held my breath.”
RWC Strawberry was shut off in the turn and dropped back as Flat Out Yardley hit the backside on top with Trust Fund Baby only a length behind. Next in line were D’s Enzios and BJ’s Sure Enuff.
“At the toteboard, I felt we’d win the race,” Grace related.
Flat Out Yardley, one of the longshots in the final at 15-1 odds, had other ideas. He wasn’t backing down without a battle.
Trust Fund Baby tried to go under Flat Out Yardley on the far turn, but the latter would not give her room. It appeared Baby lost her momentum momentarily.
“Baby tried to get by her but was blocked. When they hit the stretch, I was worried,” Grace admitted. “I didn’t know if she had enough steam left.”
Sporting a half length advantage coming home, Flat Out Yardley moved midtrack while Baby remained on the rail after running a tight final turn. Down the stretch, Trust Fund Baby would not be denied as she caught and passed Flat Out Yardley to win the Juvenile crown by a half length.
“It was a very courageous effort by Baby. She showed a lot of heart in the stretch,” Grace said. “Yardley came ready to run and battled the whole way. He ran a great race.”
Maupin and Riggin also pointed to Trust Fund Baby’s determination in the homestretch.
“Baby gave it everything she had in the stretch,” Maupin said. “I was a little worried, but I’ve seen her come from behind before.”
Riggin said Baby “wanted the front so bad, she did whatever she needed to do to get there.”
While Trust Fund Baby and Flat Out Yardley went head-to-head out front, Wuzinyurwallet — the other race co-favorite — was lost in the back of the pack.
“He walked out of the box,” Grace said.
Heading down the backside seventh, Wuzinyurwallet moved up to sixth around the far turn before unleashing a powerful stretch kick to finish third — 3 lengths behind the winner.
“He made up a ton of lengths in the stretch. He was absolutely flying,” Grace said. “Five more steps or so and he’s right with Baby and Yardley.”
Trust Fund Baby, who stopped the clock in 30.13, returned $5 on a $2 win wager. The 6-2 perfecta paid $91 while the 6-2-8 trifecta returned $264.
Grace indicated both Trust Fund Baby and Wuzinyurwallet will remain in Wheeling to compete in the $65,000 WVGOBA Derby in June. The stake event will be contested over the 3/8 distance.
The pair, as well as another littermate Bags Of Cash, also are a possibility for the upcoming Mountaineer Classic (3/8) in May.
Trust Fund Baby and Wuzinyurwallet topped the Juvenile finalists with 45 points followed by D’s Enzios (Douglas Kennel), 36 points; D’s Snow White (Douglas Kennel) and BJ’s Sure Enuff (Lester Raines Kennel), 33 points each; Iruska Frankford (Steve Sarras Kennel), 30 points; Flat Out Yardley (Flying Eagles-Miner Kennel), 26 points; and RWC Strawberry (Mountaineer Racing Kennel), 25 points.
IN THE HOMESTRETCH:
HOT DOGS: Douglas Kennel’s KB’s Best Buy has won six out of his last seven Grade AA races for trainer James Roche. Kennel-mate Western Kye has back-to-back wins (C, B).
C And C Kennel’s Van Do has three straight Grade AA victories for trainer Patrick Bever.
Darren Henry Kennel’s Legend Of Zorro has three Grade AA wins in a row for trainer Donna Wilcox. Kennel-mate Van’s Blackmagic has back-to-back wins (B, A).
Wayne Ward Kennel’s WW Has Glory has raced to three straight Grade AA marathon victories for trainer Ron Otto.
A Ray Kennel’s AMF Cobblestone has won four out of his last five starts (M, D, C, B) for trainer Joe Palmer. Kennel-mates Greys Mystique (AA) and KB’s Pullover (A, AA) have back-to-back 3/8 wins.
Flying Eagles-Miner Kennel’s Starz Supreme has two straight Grade AA 3/8 victories for trainer Ricardo Pacheco. Kennel-mate T’s Dancer has won three out of her last four outings (C, B, A).
Lester Raines Kennel’s USS Race By has two wins and two seconds in her last five Grade AA trips for trainer Joel Roden.
Thorne-Abrahamson Kennel’s Drifting Darby has three wins and a second in his last five starts for trainer Tom Engle.
Steubenville Kennel’s Hallo Goosey Say has back-to-back Grade AA victories for trainer Debbie Schweizer.
Gable Kennel’s Gable Scoop has three wins and a second in his last five 3/8 outings for trainer Wayne Piquette.
Wayne Strong Kennel’s Radar Colin has three wins and a second in his last five 3/8 races for trainer Louise Strong.
Green-Maupin Kennel’s BD’s Gus has two wins and a second in his last three starts for trainer Jim Grace.
Steve Sarras Kennel’s Cool Rebel has two wins and a second in his last three trips for trainer Barbara Long.
Ryan Farms Kennel’s BOW Hotspot has back-to-back victories (B, A) for trainer Terry Green.
Pawloski can be reached at sjpawloski@yahoo.com