Track anniversary: Top marathon runners remembered

(NOTE: This month marks 49 years of greyhound racing at Wheeling. In conjunction with the anniversary, this column will feature articles related to the track’s history. Today’s article highlights the careers of the top marathon racers at Wheeling Downs/Island).

                While the 330-yard super sprint course has become a regular event in the daily racing program at Wheeling Island, one of the more popular distances – especially among bettors – has not been contested in nearly 10 years.

                The last 761-yard marathon race on the Buckeye Course at Wheeling took place on Dec. 26, 2015, and was won by Boc’s Dancinfool. Just three months prior, Napa Know How broke the 7/16th course record when he stopped the clock in 41.60 in a 7 ½-length romp.

                The track’s first-ever marathon race was held on March 1, 1977, and won by Sans Song. Other greyhounds in the initial field were Clear Sailing, Mutato, Charming Ways, BB’s Response, ED’s Bart, Honeybun Honey and See Secrets.

                It’s uncertain why the marathon distance disappeared from the Wheeling race cards in recent years, but the longer 7/16th races generated big pools from gamblers. Many of the marathon stars from the past brought fans off their seats with their fantastic finishes.

                Marathon racers were a different breed – but special in their own way.

                They didn’t get the limelight like sprint and middle-distance stars, but Wheeling Island had its share of fantastic marathon greyhounds in its long history.

                In a move to pay tribute, recognize and remember the marathon distance stars from the past, this writer and local greyhound historian Robin Reed selected an all-time Wheeling marathon team.

                Steph’s Good is considered the best marathon racer to ever grace the Wheeling Island oval and the British-Mountaineer Kennel dandy has earned the captaincy of the eight-greyhound team.

                The other greyhounds named to the first team include WW’s Dog Gone (Wayne Ward Kennel), Clair Dolan (Ryan Farms Kennel), TMC’s Josalynn (Steubenville Kennel), Granpas Princess (Gable Kennel), Velocious Dash (Ryan Farms Kennel), Kiowa Tom Lyde (Steubenville Kennel) and Kiowa Suki (Steubenville Kennel).

                “Steph’s Good is by far the best and most memorable greyhound to compete over our marathon Buckeye Course, but the era of the 2000s probably featured the best allotment of marathon greyhounds to ever run at the same time,” Reed said.

                Brief capsules of the accomplishments of each of the all-time Wheeling marathon team members follow. 

STEPH’S GOOD – Captain

(Placid Ace-Mary’s Luck)

                In 1987, Steph’s Good captured 17 marathon races out of her 22 starts, set a 7/16th track record in three consecutive trips in January (42.57, 42.55, 42.27) and won 15 consecutive marathon races.

She was selected to the 1987 National Greyhound Update All-World Marathon Team and voted a member of Wheeling’s all-decade team from 1986-1995.

Steph’s Good’s overall record in 1987 was 17 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third and 1 fourth in 22 starts; in 1986, she had 14 wins, 4 seconds, 2 third and 1 fourth in 23 trips.

                Outside of Wheeling, Steph’s Good was second in the $125,000 Fall Hecht Marathon (Flagler), second in the $100,000 U.S. Marathon (Biscayne) and third in the $125,000 Spring Hecht Marathon (Flagler).

WW’S DOG GONE

(Dodgem By Design-Bank Exploder)

                In 2011, WW’s Dog Gone had 22 wins (14 on the marathon course), 4 seconds, 8 thirds and 6 fourths in 48 starts. He tied for second overall in wins at the track and had a 7-race marathon win streak.

                He earned 2011 All-American honors and was voted a member of Wheeling’s all-decade team from 2006-2015.

                In 2010, WW’s Dog Gone captured the Buckeye Cup Stakes and established a 7/16th track record (41.85).

                The distance runner had 18 career marathon victories.

CLAIR DOLAN

(Greys Statesman-Miss Mia)

                In 2002, Clair Dolan was the track win champion with 27 victories (23 on the marathon course), 10 seconds, 4 thirds and 8 fourths in 52 starts – missing the pay sheet only three times all year. She’s the only 7/16th greyhound to capture a Wheeling win crown.

                Clair Dolan’s special year included a victory in the Night of Stars and a fourth in the Labor Day Classic, both on the Keystone 3/8th distance.

                Clair Dolan put up 17 more marathon victories in 2003 to reach 40 career wins over the 7/16th distance. The closer had a trio of 4-race win streaks.

                In 128 career starts, Clair Dolan had 48 wins, 29 seconds, 9 thirds and 18 fourths.

TMC’S JOSALYNN

(Oshkosh Slammer-TMC’s Carnival)

                In 2003, TMC’s Josalynn posted 28 wins (27 on the marathon course), 10 seconds, 3 thirds and 2 fourths in 48 starts. She tied for second in wins overall at the track.

                From May 2003 till the end of the year, TMC's Josalynn had 25 wins, 10 seconds, 2 thirds and 1 fourth in 40 races. She had seven box-to-wire victories by 54 1/2 lengths, including wins by 10 1/2, 9 1/2, 9 and 8 1/2 lengths.   

                TMC’s Josalynn’s 32 career marathon victories included 7-race and 6-race win streaks. She nearly broke Steph’s Good’s 1987 then-track record of 42.27 when she stopped the clock in 42.28, just .01 off the mark.

GRANPAS PRINCESS

(Teamster-Rayvan)

                In late November 2004, Granpas Princess arrived in Wheeling from Daytona and finished third and fourth in her first two Wheeling starts on the 3/8th distance. Her next race was in a marathon, and she took to the distance change right away.

                The frontrunner captured her first seven marathon starts, all box-to-wire efforts but one by a combined 44 lengths. Two of those victories were by 11 and 10 lengths.

                Granpas Princess’ best season came in 2005 when she had 17 wins (16 on the marathon course), 8 seconds, 5 thirds and 3 thirds. In her career, she had 24 marathon victories with 7-race win streaks in both 2004 and 2005.

VELOCIOUS DASH

(Great Son-Savannah’s Quest)

                Velocious Dash’s style of racing was a highlight film with numerous fantastic finishes. It wasn’t uncommon for the marathoner to come from the back of the pack, working her magic through the field with a powerful closing rush.

                She had 22 career marathon wins, with 17 of those in the 2005 racing season. In 52 career Wheeling starts, she had 26 wins, 8 thirds, five thirds and 5 fourths.

                Velocious Dash had a 7-race marathon win streak in 2006 and a 6-race win streak over the 7/16th distance in 2005. In one stretch of 11 races in 2006, she had 9 wins and 2 seconds.

KIOWA TOM LYDE

(Unruly Thomas-Greys Carmelkiss)

                Kiowa Tom Lyde shined brightly in marathon stake races.

                In 2001, she captured the $60,000 Labor Day Classic on the marathon course after finishing third in the $65,000 Labor Day Classic in 2000.

                Kiowa Tom Lyde’s best season was 2001 when she had 22 wins, 13 seconds, 2 thirds and 3 fourths in 52 starts. She also finished second to Nathan Hale in the Night of Stars on the Keystone 3/8th course.

KIOWA SUKI

(Greys Statesman-Flying Nutty)

                Kiowa Suki had an outstanding stakes career in Florida, but she left her mark on Wheeling racing when circling the island oval.

                In 2001, she was a finalist in the $60,000 Labor Day Classic and had 19 wins (18 on the marathon course). Overall, Kiowa Suki had more than 20 marathon wins (exact number unconfirmed).

                Outside of Wheeling, Kiowa Suki won the 2000 Hecht Marathon at Flagler; won the 2000 Flagler Super Marathon; won the 2001 Flagler Super Marathon; and won the 2002 Flagler Super Marathon.

                Other top marathon greyhounds at Wheeling through the years include Pee Wee Mike (1998-99), JNB Allie’s Lady (2000), Kiowa Raise Mist (2000-01), DC’s Homey Drive (2001-03), Kiowa Kiss Now (2002-03), DEA’s Magictouch (2003-04), Double Action (2005-06), Magic Trixie (2006-08), Gable Nextel (2007), Its Quenna (2008-09), Midnight Light (2010) and Kiowa Starstream (2013-15).

                Three super marathon 9/16th races were contested at Wheeling in the early years.

                The first one on Sept. 15, 1977, was won by Corsair with a time of 58.69. Oshkosh Kathy finished second and Anya rounded out the trifecta ticket.

                Half was victorious in the second super marathon race on March 10, 1978, with a time of 63.90. Middle Bank, Imp. was second with Soldier Blue third.

                The last super marathon was on Oct. 23, 1987, with Steph’s Ace setting a track record when she stopped the clock in 58.32. Ole Terri Jones finished second while Gull’s Smudge was third. 

IN THE HOMESTRETCH:

                VERSATILITY: Current 761-yard marathon course record holder Napa Know How might be the most versatile greyhound to ever race at Wheeling Island.

                He’s one of the fastest as well.

                In the history of Wheeling Island, A Ray Kennel’s Napa Know How stands alone as the only greyhound to go under 29 seconds in 5/16th (28.93), dip below 38 seconds in 3/8th (37.73) and race lower than 42 seconds in 7/16th (41.60).

                STAKES FEAT: In May 2015, Ted Cruz cruised to a 4 ½-length victory in the $25,000 John Dallas Memorial 3/8th Stakes at Wheeling Island.

                Three months later, the Clear The Way Kennel distance dandy was even more dominant as he captured the $10,000 Mountaineer Marathon Stakes in late August by a whopping 10 lengths.

                In the history of Wheeling Island racing, five greyhounds previously won two stake races in the same year, but Ted Cruz is the first to accomplish the feat over two different distances. The other two-time stake winners – Greys Beaver (1992), Greys Royalcrown (2004), Iruska Crème Pie (2005), Braska Omni (2008) and Hi Noon Hero (2009) – all won their stakes races on the 5/16th sprint course.

                (Contributing to this column was local greyhound historian Robin Reed, who provided the statistics and records for the marathon greyhounds).