Kenosha, Wisconsin: Dairyland's All-Star Challenge No Problem for Ohboompowsuprise

Ohboompowsurprise took the $5,000 All-Star Challenge at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, Wisconsin on July 15th and in the process won her sixth in a row. The recent victor in the Dairyland Sprint Championship got around on the rail from the one box and emerged from the pack unscathed to run down Torino Talent, who led until the very end. The eight finalists were determined by a pair of elimination races on the 12th of July, in which the first four greyhounds over the line made it to the big Sunday race. Ohboompowsurprise now has thirty-two wins at Dairyland in her career, which began in 2006.

The daughter of Snow Bow and CTW For Me Alone had to really hustle for this triumph as Torino Talent ran much stronger than he had in the Sprint Championship on Independence Day. In that one, Suprise passed him coming out of the first turn and blew him off the track, but in the All-Star Challenge he opened up a five length lead on the four dog, Easy Venture and was running free and easy down the backside before tiring heading for home. Ohboompowsuprise broke with the pack from the one box and cleverly held tight to the inside, allowing her to take advantage of the other dogs going off the rail and leaving room for her to slip by.

She accelerated after coming out of the first corner and found herself with only Torino Talent between her and the Dairyland lure. The other late speed threats in the contest were never able to shake loose to mount a challenge, as both Boc's Stingray in the three and Tyville Escalade in the five were in traffic. By the time the greyhounds straightened out and made the run for the wire, Surprise was almost even with Torino Talent, and everyone knew it was only a matter of how long it would be before she overtook her rival. Talent held gamely until three quarters of the way down the stretch, where he was finally passed. Ohboompowsuprise crossed the line in 30.32 seconds for the 550 yards, with Talent a length back and all-or-nothing type LB's Terminator getting up for the first third place showing of his career, at odds of 11-1 that had the trifecta players smiling. It made the ticket pay triple digits, as it came back for $166.

Perhaps the only real drama in this All-Star Challenge came in the eliminations, when 2-1 chalk Flying Diane broke as if she didn't know one end of the starting box from the other in her heat and got almost left. She then managed to find trouble at the turn and finished a dismal last, as Torino Talent handily beat Easy Venture to assure himself a spot in the finals. Ohboompowsuprise actually had a harder time of it in her prelim, finding herself behind the fine sprinter JS Justgimmimine at the first turn call and then scrambling late to get by him. She appeared to have him lined up at the far turn, but backed off a bit before charging by on the rail as Justgimmimine went wide late in the stretch.

Next up on the Dairyland Greyhound Park stakes calendar is the Dairyland Derby, a 673 yard affair in late September. It would be no surprise if Ohboompowsuprise was sent after that title as well, as she seems well-suited for the extra yardage. However, dogs like Chicas Bonnie, Kay V Keep Wet, and RJ's Joy will have much to say about that result, as they are some of the best routers in Wisconsin at the moment.