Nov/December 2011, Features

Iowa’s money Tree

By Steve Sigafoose   Wed, Dec 07, 2011

Angel Tree from the Blake & Black Kennel took early command of the 26th $500,000 Iowa Breeders Classic at Bluffs Run on Saturday, Nov. 5, and was never challenged in rolling to a four-length triumph. 
“That was exciting,” said an excited trainer John Filipelli, “to win the biggest stakes in the country. She was ready. She was in as good a shape as she could be.” 
Still, Angel Tree, a 25-month old 66-pounder out of 2004 Iowa Breeders Classic champion RA B l a z e r - J a y s Leeann, wasn’t one of the favorites in this race. She finished fifth in the qualifying points races and went to the boxes sixth favorite according to the bettors. 
But Angel Tree wasn’t reading the odds as she broke fourth and jumped to the lead ahead of Jet Force (Hardison), who broke from the eight box. 
“We were not expecting her to go to the front,” admitted Filipelli, “and she did.” 
Angel Tree and Jet Force beat the field to the first turn and sliced to the rail. By the time the pair reached the backstretch, the race was rapidly turning into a two-greyhound affair. 
“On the lead, I was pretty confident,” said Filipelli. “I thought she would be chasing the eight (Jet Force), but it was the other way around. She was being chased by the eight and she had outrun the eight before.” 
Jet Force pressed the issue through the backstretch and around the far turn, staying a length behind the lead. But when the pair reached the homestretch, Angel Tree pulled away in dominating fashion to record her four-length win in a time of 30.44 seconds for the 5/16 mile course. 
The path to the championship was team effort, explained kennel owner Clay Black. 
“Tim Waller raised her,” said Black. “He took care of her in her first year. Randy Caskey trained her at the farm. And give the Iowa Greyhound Association credit for wanting to put together a stakes of this magnitude.” 
Jet Force settled for second, but it was a good second. 
“I can’t believe it,” said an obviously happy Sandy Phluger from the Hardison Kennel. “She broke good and had a good race.” 
Third was P’s Gibbs (Petzold), the leading point earner in the qualifiers. P’s Gibbs went to the boxes as the favorite. He broke third; bumped L’s Fray in the first turn and never made a move. A mild rally returned him to third, but seven lengths back. 
Fourth was Shelly (Mickim), who surrendered to P’s Gibbs in the homestretch and finished eighth back. 
JD Imperium (Mickim) finished second in points in the qualifiers and had the one box. He went off as the second favorite, but broke last and did nothing in finishing fifth, 10 lengths back. 
L’s Fray (Boeckenstedt) needed the front and did not get it. She fell back after bumping P’s Gibbs entering the first turn. L’s Fray finished sixth, a dozen lengths back.
Boc’s Now U Don’t (Boeckenstedt) went off as the longshot at 32-1 and was seventh. L’s Zakarack (Boeckenstedt) settled for eighth. 
Amid the laughter and the cell phones ringing with calls of congratulations, Filipelli decided to be simply thrilled. 
“I had a second at the Derby Lane Million,” Filipelli. “This beats it.” 

By Steve Sigafoose

I'm a native of the Washington, D.C., area and a graduate of the University of Maryland. I'm now retired after a two-decade plus stint as the sports editor of the Council Bluffs, Iowa, Daily Nonpareil. Contact me at slsig1@cox.net