Bob's Laural is the Queen of Gulf Greyhound Park

Bob's Laural doesn't often find herself in front of a 5/16ths race at Gulf Greyhound Park, but that's just where she was during the finals of the 2007 Kings and Queens Stakes on February 3rd. From there, it was a certainty that Bob's Laural would not squander the lead, as she is known as one of Gulf's biggest late speed greyhounds down the stretch. Her three length victory in the Kings and Queens is a nice supplement to her win in the Texas Sprint Classic last fall, making Bob's Laural one of Gulf Greyhound Park's premier racers.

Winning Gulf stakes events runs in the family of Bob's Laural, as her sister, Bob's Streak, took this race last year and her brother, Bob's Skeet, recently scored big in the 2006 Au Revoir. In fact, this entire litter out of Gable Dodge and Bob's Franshilla, which also includes Bob's Wal and Bob's Tuscola, has been in the winner's circle over 120 times in Gulf AA contests since they hit the track running in the spring of 2005. It was not that Bob's Laural was a stranger to big races; it was simply incredible, even to her handlers, that she was able to get to the front of the pack in the Kings and Queens final.

Bob's Laural's trainer, Tommy LaRosa, said as much after the race. "I couldn't believe it when she went to the front. I really can't remember her running a race like that before, but when I saw her nose come out and rush to the front of the pack, I knew she would be real tough to catch." This was an understatement to say the least, as Bob's Laural had been known to come from far back on many occasions to record a triumph and has never taken a backwards step on the racetrack in her life. In the elimination round of the Gulf Kings and Queens, in which eight girls squared off against each other with the first four over the line advancing to the finals, she had overtaken Gramauldi late, no easy task in itself.

The other three girls in the Kings and Queens were Button Hole, Bob's Diva, and the aforementioned Gramauldi, while the four boys that now must call Bob's Laural the "Queen" of Gulf Greyhound Park were San Tan Sporty, Eli Skinner, SP's Cold Turkey, and C Ya Wild Fire. The early foot of San Tan Sporty was expected to lead this race, as it had in boys' elimination round, especially since he was breaking from the favored one box. However, the slight favorite, at 3-1, was unable to make the front and a collision at the turn doomed him to a seventh place finish. Gramauldi and Eli Skinner were the other two in the race that figured to try to go to the lead, but they got around behind Bob's Laural and only Eli could keep her within hailing distance.

The Kings and Queens was over 30.30 seconds after the starting box opened, with Bob's Laural beating Eli Skinner by three lengths. Eli Skinner actually ran one strong race to stay that close throughout, coming off of his narrow defeat of San Tan Sporty in the previous trial. Button Hole, another highly regarded sprinter with late closing ability, managed to pass three dogs after the first turn and come in third. Those Gulf patrons that were smart enough to wager on Bob's Laural, who went off at odds of 7-2, were rewarded with some very good payoffs. The quiniela of her and Eli Skinner returned $47.40 while the exacta came back for $112. The triple was very hefty, considering that two of the three favorites had made the money; Button Hole was sent off at 7-2 as well. The trifecta paid a handsome $608 and the superfecta, with C Ya Wild Fire in fourth place wound up paying over $1,600!

The 65 pound dark brindle Bob's Laural has now run 120 races at Gulf Greyhound Park and emerged the victor in 38 of those. If you add in her 20 second place finishes, 22 thirds, and 20 more fourths, Bob's Laural has been on the board and on the pay sheet an amazing 100 times, for an 83% average. She was born in November of 2003, meaning that she still has a lot of gas left in the tank if she stays injury-free. She has a long ways to go though if she wants to equal the accomplishments of her brother, Bob's Skeet. He has won no less than half a dozen stakes races at Gulf Greyhound Park since he started running there almost two years ago, in May of 2005, and possesses superior speed to his sibling, having run under thirty seconds flat over the 5/16ths course seven different times. As adept as Bob's Laural is at gaining ground late, Bob's Skeet is even better, and he is also more than capable of zooming to the head of the pack right out of the starting box. But for now, Bob's Laural can bask in the glory of being a Queen, while those that attend the races at Gulf Greyhound Park can enjoy watching an extremely talented litter of dogs.