Four Greyhound Superstars Coming Back in Time for Huge Stakes Month

Greyhound racing enthusiasts will have even more to be excited about in the very near future at venues such as Derby Lane in Florida and Twin River Greyhound Park in Lincoln, Rhode Island. That's because some of the industry's biggest names are going to be making a return to action. Flying Stanley, Dreamy Blossom, Extruding Dream, and Greys Huntington are all in the process of working their way back onto the oval, a quartet of stars that have all been successful stakes performers in the past. And they are coming back just in time, as Twin River will be putting on a pair of stakes events in September with some big bucks up for grabs.

Both of these stakes will have their big finales on September 29th, a just about unprecedented bit of scheduling that will have the eyes of the greyhound world riveted on Twin River the entire month. The $100,000 Joseph M. Lindsey Memorial American Greyhound Derby will have a four round elimination series with races being run on September 8th, 14th, 19th, and 24th. This will be contested over Twin River's 680 yard distance, while the $75,000 Twin River Sprint will have qualifying heats on September 8th, 12th, 17th, and the 22nd. The sprinters will do battle over the 550 yard course.

All four of the aforementioned greyhounds are currently at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg, Florida, coming off injuries or layoffs. Dreamy Blossom had a minor hurt after winning the initial Palm Beach Classic on May 28th. Blossom romped through the preliminaries undefeated before hooking up with Palm Beach superstar Switzler Jammin in a memorable duel which she prevailed in by a head. Dreamy Blossom schooled officially at Derby Lane on August 14th, winning by seven in the fastest time of schooling, a 30.85 for the 550 yards. She must school one more time, on August 17th, and then she will be eligible to race officially. If Blossom is deemed sound, she will then probably run a race at Derby Lane and be off to the Ocean State, where she must school officially at Twin River by the end of August.

In the schooling race with Blossom was Extruding Dream, captain of the All-American team in 2006. The versatile performer has been off since mid-July, but the multiple stakes winner has not looked impressive in a pair of schooling contests. Dream can run the routes and sprints, and he was a beaten finalist in the American Derby last year at Twin River. His handlers would love for him to be able to head back to Rhode Island and make another run at one of the most prestigious titles in all of dog racing, the American Derby, but if he is not in shape they will not embarrass the animal, as they have too much respect for what he has accomplished and what he means to those that follow the Sport of Queens.

Greys Huntington is one of those greyhounds long on potential but a bit short on achievements. Highly touted since he first set foot on the Derby Lane oval in December of 2005, Huntington has been entered in several stakes but has only the Tampa Shootout crown on his resume. It is not that he isn't fast; there are perhaps just a handful of dogs in the country that could keep pace with this 81 pound monster in a two-dog affair. Rather, it is his lack of good racing sense that often gets him in trouble, specifically his refusal in many instances to leave the rail while in a race, which causes him to run into other dogs while attempting to pass. Huntington won his August 14th schooling in 31.12 and, like Dreamy Blossom, must school one more time before he goes onto the active list. He is a great candidate to ship to Twin River for the American Derby, where perhaps he can grab the brass ring and still become the dog that many envisioned him to be when he first broke in.

If Flying Stanley never sets foot on the racing surface again he would still be an all-timer. Stanley has been off to rest and reproduce, as he has been busy as a stud dog. The multiple stakes champion has nothing left to prove, but if he makes it back in time to go to Twin River for their sprint, it would be a special treat for the sport. The thought of him mixing it up with the best in the nation for the prize money has fans salivating, and since Stanley won't be three until January, it could happen. Stanley and his team have never backed off from a challenge, as he has competed across the country against the cream of the crop.

Of course the dogs now running at Twin River and those from other venues coming in to Lincoln are not simply going to roll over for these stalwarts. Twin River is as tough as it gets as far as the competition, and standouts like JNB Atomic Bomb and Flying Lyman, just to name two, are more than up to the task of defending the home turf. When the end of September rolls around and those two stakes finals are on tap, both fields are sure to have past and future All-Americans in them, and when the boxes open it will be anyone's race to win.