WHEELING TRACK ANNIVERSARY: TOP STAKES FINAL FIELDS, NO. 3 AND NO. 4

Down through the years, Wheeling has had a rich tradition in greyhound stakes competition.

Fans have been blessed with the chance to see some of the all-time greats in some of the track’s most memorable moments.

The month of August marks 47 years of Wheeling greyhound racing and with assistance from local greyhound historian Robin Reed, a list of the top eight all-time Wheeling stakes final fields has been put together.

Selected as the best of the best stakes championship fields follow:

No. 1 – the 1987 $60,000 Wheeling Challenge Invitational

No. 2 – the 1984 $145,000 West Virginia Classic

No. 3 – the 1984 $80,000 West Virginia Commissioner’s Cup

No. 4 – the 1977 $11,000 Thomas F. Shehan Sprint Classic

No. 5 – the 2001 $35,000 Spring Classic

No. 6 – the 1982 $55,000 City of Wheeling Sprint

No. 7 – the 2008 $100,000 Wheeling Island Invitational

No. 8 – the 2004 $50,000 Couch Potato Stakes.

"Wheeling stakes racing has created some of the most indelible memories in the track's great 47-year history," Reed said. "I love having the opportunity to bring those moments to life again for both veteran fans such as myself who have shared in the experience and new fans to Wheeling racing who may not be aware of the track's remarkable past."

Today’s article looks at No. 4 – the 1977 $11,000 Thomas F. Shehan Sprint Classic and No. 3 – the 1984 $80,000 West Virginia Commissioner’s Cup.

1977 Thomas F. Shehan Sprint Classic (ranked No. 4) Friday evening, Nov. 18, 1977

The championship final field featured two All-American greyhounds, Rooster Cogburn and Highway Robber. In addition, Rooster Cogburn was voted into the U.S. Greyhound Hall of Fame.

Five out of the other six finalists made stakes championships during their careers with a pair winning the events.

The field included four Wheeling racers – Slick Genius, unbeaten in the qualifying round races, Dixie Miler, Cool Highway and E.Z. Ike.

From the rail out, the finalists and their achievements follow:

1-COOL HIGHWAY (Steubenville Kennel) - Winner of the 1978 West Virginia Classic - Second in the 1977 Wheeling Spring Derby - Second in the 1978 Wheeling Downs Sprint Championship - Finalist in the 1978 City of Wheeling Stakes - 61 career wins - 1977 Wheeling mark (63-25-19-9), second in wins

2-DIXIE MILER (James G. Conlen Kennel) - Second in the 1977 Wheeling Top Dog Stakes - 1976 Wheeling win champ, 14 wins - 1977 Wheeling record (36-18-11-2)

3-SF’S TAIN’T SO (Steubenville Kennel) - Third in the 1977 Wonderland Battle of Ages - Finalist in the 1978 Wheeling Downs Sprint Championship - 1978 Wheeling record (52-18-14-10)

4-HIGHWAY ROBBER (Wayne Strong Kennel) - 1976 All American - Winner of the 1974 NGA Futurity - Winner of the 1976 Wonderland Inaugural - Second in the 1976 Orlando Derby - Second in the 1976 Biscayne Inaugural - Second in the 1976 Orlando Inaugural - Second in the 1977 St. Petersburg Derby - Finalist in the 1977 Derby Lane Sprint Classic - 52 career wins

5-ROOSTER COGBURN (Wayne Strong Kennel) - U.S. Greyhound Hall of Fame - 1977 All-American - Second in the 1977 Wonderland Battle of Ages - Finalist in the 1978 Hollywood World Classic - 1977 racing record (87-43-17-5) - 59 career wins

6-JAMES G. (J. Johnson & Son Kennel) - Raced at Mobile, ALA

7-E.Z. IKE (Julian Dial Kennel) - Finalist in the 1978 Wheeling Downs Sprint Championship - 1978 Wheeling win co-champ (53-27-4-5)

8-SLICK GENIUS (Julliene J. Goble Kennel) - Winner of the 1977 City of Wheeling Stakes - Third in the 1979 Wheeling Downs Sprint Championship - Finalist in the 1978 Wheeling Downs Sprint Championship - 51 career wins at Wheeling - 1977 Wheeling record (64-30-6-7)

In the championship final, All-American Rooster Cogburn lived up to his pre-race publicity when he rushed to the early lead and never looked back in drawing away to a 6-length victory in 31.39 on a track rated “slow.” Florida invader SF’s Tain’t So took runner up honors while local star Slick Genius was third.

Completing the finish were Highway Robber, fourth; Dixie Miler, fifth; Cool Highway, sixth; James G., seventh; and E.Z. Ike, eighth.

Rooster Cogburn had two wins and a second in the three qualifying rounds.

Three new wagering marks were set in the stake final – new total pool of $24,316, new quiniela mark of $12,862 and a win, place and show standard of $5,992.

1984 West Virginia Commissioner’s Cup (ranked No. 3) Friday evening, Oct. 26, 1984

The final featured two All-Americans – two-time honoree My Tipper and Blue Twinkle. My Tipper also won the NGA Rural Rube Award as the country’s top sprinter. Six out of the eight finalists made stake championships.

From the rail out, the finalists and their accomplishments follow:

1-BLUE TWINKLE (Julian Dial Kennel) - 1984 All-American - Winner of the 1984 Orange Park Derby - Winner of the 1984 Jacksonville Derby - Winner of the 1984 & 1985 Bayard Derby - Second in the 1984 Greyhound Grand Prix - Finalist in the 1984 West Virginia Classic - Set track record on Jacksonville’s 5/16th (30.47) and 3/8th (37.54) courses - Set Bayard’s 3/8 track record (37.77) - 72 career wins

2-K’S DOUBLE K (Dick Andrews Kennel) - Third in the 1984 Tampa Future Champions Preview

3-ZAMBELLIS - Winner of the 1984 Phoenix Derby - 13-race consecutive win streak - 52 career wins

4-MAGNIFICAT (Steubenville Kennel) - Winner of the 1985 Hollywood World Classic - Finalist in the 1984 Biscayne Florida/World Challenge - Set Flagler 5/16 track record (30.73)

5-I’M GANGSTER (E.J. Alderson Kennel) - Second in wins at Wheeling in 1984 (63-29-14-4)

6-M’S BEST BET (Haber Racing Kennel) - 1984 Wheeling record (39-13-9-3)

7-MY RED STREAK (Steubenville Kennel) - Winner of the 1985 Flagler Derby - Winner of the 1984 Ebro Derby - Finalist in the 1985 Hollywood World Classic - Finalist in the 1985 West Virginia Commissioner’s Cup

8-MY TIPPER (British-Mountaineer Kennel) - 1984 & 1985 All-American - 1985 Rural Rube Award winner (top U.S. sprinter) - Winner of the 1984 Hollywood Inaugural - Winner of the 1985 Florida/World Challenge - Winner of the 1986 Biscayne Irish-American - Third in the 1985 West Virginia Commissioner’s Cup - Finalist in the 1985 Hollywood World Classic - Set three 5/16th track records at Wheeling (29.73, 29.91, 29.97)

In the championship final, 7/5 favorite My Tipper set a world record time when the sprinter stopped the clock in a sizzling 29.73 in capturing the stake trophy.

My Tipper broke fifth from the eight-hole but rushed up into the lead by a length over Blue Twinkle around the first turn. The champion never looked back as he pulled away for a 5-length victory in record time.

Blue Twinkle took runner up honors while Magnificat, despite trouble, rounded out the trifecta ticket. Completing the final field were K’s Double K, fourth; Zambellis, fifth; My Red Streak, sixth; M’s Best Bet, seventh; and I’m Gangster, eighth.

In the first round of the West Virginia Commissioner’s Cup, My Tipper set a new Wheeling track mark with a time of 29.97, then lowered his own record with a world record time of 29.91 in the third round. The old mark of 29.95 was set at Naples-Ft. Myers, FL, earlier in the year.

Owned by James O’Donnell, Jr., My Tipper – a sprinter from Mobile, Ala., -- had four victories and a second in the five preliminary rounds.