McAllister captures title
The McAllister kennel won the kennel championship by one to close out the year at Derby Lane.
The McAllister kennel won the kennel championship by one to close out the year at Derby Lane.
Malcolm and Barbara McAllister, who own and train their operation, were jockeying for the top spot. Hambleton kennel, which formed their first booking this year, nearly wrapped up the title. The two kennels thrilled fans in the final weeks right up to the end of the year.
After the Saturday matinee McAllister was two in front. In the final 15 races of the year McAllister scored another win with Cindy's Call pulling three in front, but Hambleton narrowed the gap with back-to-back wins with Yogi Bear Bones and their St. Pete Derby champion Storm Rush. McAllister finished with 270 wins to Hambleton's 269 during the Tampa at Derby Lane July - December meet.
Both kennels will face-off in the first stakes of the New Year. Qualifying rounds for the 87th annual St. Petersburg Inaugural are Wednesday night January 4. The first four finishers from the two qualifying heats will compose the oldest stakes race in North America. The stakes race is January 7, kicking off the 87th year of racing in St. Petersburg, FL.
Since 1978 I have been tutored by the most respected leaders in the industry at tracks in WV, WI and FL. As Media Relations Director and Company Spokeswoman I have a unique opportunity to share my passion for the sport. I have written hundreds of feature stories and taken just as many greyhound photos. My articles have been published nationally and internationally. I have been a color analyst on Sky Network at the Irish Derby multiple times and on America’s Night of Stars. I am also a former Greyhound trainer.
I am proud to call Derby Lane home, which is the most established Greyhound racetrack in the nation since 1925. I have met iconic kennel operators and watched the greatest greyhounds of the past decade including Dominator, Talentedmrripley and Flying Coal City-all historic award winners. I have written and produced videos used to honor industry people and Greyhound athletes at the Greyhound Hall of Fame and coordinated track shots for the Born to Run and Ensuring the Welfare of the Racing Greyhound videos. I have coordinated major film projects at Derby Lane including Animal Planet’s "Breed All About It", Oceans 11 and baseball’s Carl Crawford’s commercial. I coordinated all of the media for the world’s biggest Greyhound stakes in 2005-2006 when Derby Lane hosted the Million Dollar races. I am also a GPA volunteer. I have two grown daughters, a granddaughter and a racing greyhound. I am blessed with endless energy and share a home in FL with two retired Greyhounds. You can follow me as topgreyhound on twitter and read Vera’s News at www.derbylane.com.
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