Red Oak’s Big Gun marks target at DL
Saturday night December 17 Derby Lane presented the final stake race of the year. Jose "Chelo Man" Alonzo who won the Florida State Super Middleweight Boxing title on November 11 was the guest of honor at the track and presented the plaque to the winning kennel. Jose and his family and friends were thrilled to be part of the winner’s circle presentation. L to R: "Chelo Man" presents Gary Buckmaster the winning plaque. Vera Rasnake, Robert Lambert, Jennifer Snyder, Bill Bryant, Tom De Cotis, Jose Alonzo, Jr., Nahiomi Saladena, Nyasia Alonzo, Joselin Colon and John Casella, who manages Alonzo, joined in the celebration. Enricquay Nichols presented the champion Flying Big Gun.
Red Oak Racing’s Flying Big Gun fired the fastest in the homestretch in a thrilling finish to snatch the win at the wire in the Derby Lane 660-Yd. Distance Challenge.
"After drawing the five box for the first three rounds I was excited to get the rail in semifinals," said trainer Gary Buckmaster. Flying Big Gun took full advantage of the rail post and was the only greyhound to halt the undefeated streak of McAllister kennel’s Flying Marvelous during semifinals in a blistering 37.13--the second fastest time of the meet.
"There were several nice dogs in the final including the stakes winners Storm Rush and Magic Finch," said Robert Lambert, owner of Red Oak Racing. "Not many have caught Kentucky Fire when she has had such a big lead nor have they held off Storm Rush and Marvelous. Big Gun’s win was very impressive."
Flying Big Gun was one of the two males in the stakes final and he wore the coveted red blanket. He won over the female Storm Rush, who was the betting favorite. Kentucky Fire, the current win leader with 17, shot out of the box and was four lengths in front in the backstretch. The field began closing the gap and Big Gun extended to win by a neck capturing the title.
"This is the first stakes race we have won since we came here last summer," said Lambert. "This was a tough race, which makes it extra special for us."
According to the Racing Office trainer Gary Buckmaster’s athletes might hold the record for most consecutive weeks for collecting over 100 points. "We’re just 12 wins from first place," said Lambert. "I’ve got a new group coming from the Plum Creek connections for the New Year that I think will do well." Shelly Rangel, Kenny Allen and Janelle Jackson are a few of Lambert’s long time friends that have supplied him with competitive hounds this year. Flying Big Gun (Flying Penske x Flying Ac Dc) is owned by Vince Berland, who was inducted into the Greyhound Hall of Fame in October.
Kentucky Fire put forth a winning effort and her stubborn loss was the third time this year she finished second in a major stake final. She was the runner up in the Gold Trophy Juvenile (550-yard), St. Pete Derby Consolation and now the 660-Yard Challenge. McAllister’s Flying Marvelous was third followed by Storm Rush (Hambleton), Brother Buck (D’Arcy), AHK Colormegone, Magic Finch (both Abernathy) and Hallo Sangria (O’Donnell)
The next stakes race at Derby Lane will be the 87th annual St. Petersburg Inaugural on Saturday, night Jan. 7.
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.
Contact me vera@derbylane.com
RSS 2.0 Feed
