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Stan Pawloski
Sep 5, 2023
Down through the years, Wheeling has had a rich tradition in greyhound stakes competition.
Fans have been blessed with the chance to see some of the all-time greats in some of the track’s most memorable moments.
The month of August marks 47 years of Wheeling greyhound racing and with assistance from local greyhound historian Robin Reed, a list of the top eight all-time Wheeling stakes final fields has been put together.
Selected as the best of the best stakes championship fields follow:
No. 1 – the 1987 $60,000 Wheeling Challenge Invitational
No. 2 – the 1984 $145,000 West Virginia Classic
No. 3 – the 1984 $80,000 West Virginia Commissioner’s Cup
No. 4 – the 1977 $11,000 Thomas F. Shehan Sprint Classic
No. 5 – the 2001 $35,000 Spring Classic
No. 6 – the 1982 $55,000 City of Wheeling Sprint
No. 7 – the 2008 $100,000 Wheeling Island Invitational
No. 8 – the 2004 $50,000 Couch Potato Stakes.
"Wheeling stakes racing has created some of the most indelible memories in the track's great 47-year history," Reed said. "I love having the opportunity to bring those moments to life again for both veteran fans such as myself who have shared in the experience and new fans to Wheeling racing who may not be aware of the track's remarkable past."
Today’s article looks at No. 2 – the 1984 $145,000 West Virginia Classic and No. 1 – the 1987 $60,000 Wheeling Challenge Invitational.
1984 West Virginia Classic (ranked No. 2) Friday evening, July 20, 1984
The final featured three All-Americans – Olly’s Ace, J’s Pecos Bill and Blue Twinkle – the second time that had ever happened in a Wheeling stake championship. Three out of the other five racers had stakes final experience.
The 1982 West Virginia Classic had three All-Americans although two of those greyhounds received honors the following year, not in 1982. From the rail out, the finalists and their achievements follow:
1-BEAU’S ROVER (Dick Andrews Kennel) - Winner of the 1986 Naples Trainer’s Special - Finalist in the 1984 Greyhound Grand Prix - Finalist in the 1984 Flagler Derby - Finalist in the 1984 Hollywoodian - Finalist in the 1984 Wonderland Derby
2-BLUE TWINKLE (Julian Dial Kennel) - 1984 All-American - Winner of the 1984 Orange Park Derby - Winner of the 1984 Jacksonville Derby - Winner of the 1984 & 1985 Bayard Derby - Second in the 1984 Greyhound Grand Prix - Second in the 1984 West Virginia Commissioner’s Cup - Set track record on Jacksonville’s 5/16th (30.47) and 3/8th (37.54) courses - Set Bayard’s 3/8 track record (37.77) - 72 career wins
3-CASHMAKER (Carl Pritchard Kennel) - Second in the 1984 Connecticut Derby - Third in the 1983 Wheeling Kennel Medley (5/16th leg) - Finalist in the 1985 Hollywoodian - 1984 Wheeling record (40-23-4-4)
4-EXOTICA (A.G. Neville, III Kennel) - Raced at West Memphis, Ark.
5-FRIENDLY DAVID (A.G. Neville, III Kennel) - Winner of the 1984 Connecticut Derby - Winner of the 1984 Palm Beach/Naple Challenge - Winner of the 1984 Palm Beach Au Revoir
6-PLACID ACE (Steubenville Kennel) - 1984 Wheeling record (64-16-14-13)
7-OLLY’S ACE (Steubenville Kennel) - 1984 All-American - Winner of the 1984 Flagler International Classic - Finalist in the 1986 Hollywoodian
8-J’S PECOS BILL (Fritz Kennel) - Winner of the 1984 Hollywoodian - Second in the 1984 Palm Beach St. Patrick’s Day Invitational - Finalist in the 1984 Hollywood World Classic - Finalist in the 1984 Flagler Derby - 1984 Hollywood track win co-champ
In the championship 3/8th final, Olly’s Ace broke second to Wheeling’s local star and race favorite Cashmaker. By the first turn, Olly’s Ace had taken command by 3 lengths and was never headed in romping to a 6-length victory in 38.20.
J’s Pecos Bill closed in the stretch to take runner up honors while Cashmaker settled for third. Olly’s Ace owner, James E. O’Donnell Jr., said the break would determine the winner.
“It was a race where eight finalists get in and there’s no kidding about it, it’s just who gets to the front,” O’Donnell said. “There were a lot of good dogs in that race, it’s just a question of who breaks. You’ve got to get lucky.”
Completing the final field were Blue Twinkle, fourth; Friendly David, fifth; Beau’s Rover, sixth; Placid Chance, seventh; and Exotica, eighth.
In the final, Wheeling Downs set a new one-race handle mark of $74,452.
Olly’s Ace, son of All-Americans Placid Ace and Printer Olly (winner of the 1980 West Virginia Classic), had three wins, a fourth and a seventh in the five qualifying rounds.
The biggest disappointment of the stakes event was when E.J. Alderson scratched Fallon from the semi-final round due to a virus. At the time, the winner of the Greyhound Grand Prix and St. Petersburg Distance Classic had accumulated the most points in the preliminary round races.
“Even for all the money, we wouldn’t run her if she wasn’t right,” Eleanor Alderson said. “It wouldn’t be fair to the public or to the recuperating greyhound to race her when she wasn’t in her best condition.”
1987 Wheeling Challenge Invitational (ranked No. 1) Friday evening, Oct. 23, 1987
The championship final field featured U.S. Greyhound Hall of Famer and two-time All-American K’s Broadway and two other All-Americans – Wheeling’s own DD’s Nelson and Kiowa Babs. The rest of the field included multiple stakes winners.
There were no preliminary round races, just a one-race final by invitation only.
From the rail out, the finalists and their accomplishments follow:
1-ELIOT’S PACER (Danny Williams Kennel) - Raced at Tri-State, WV
2-DD’S NELSON (Gulf & Bay Kennel) - 1987 All-American - 1986 Wheeling win champ (51-38-3-5) - Winner of the 1987 Mile High Stroh’s All-American Invitational - Winner of the 1987 New Hampshire Lottery Stakes - Winner of the 1986 Wheeling Countdown Stakes - Third in the 1986 Great Greyhound Race of Champions - Finalist in the 1988 Mountaineer Classic at Tri-State - 11-race consecutive win streak - 96 career wins
3-CALDERONE (Cuddy-Randle Kennel) - Finalist in the 1987 Seabrook Great Greyhound Race - 9-race consecutive win streak at Taunton & Seabrook
4-KIOWA BABS (David Lingle Kennel) - 1987 All-American - Winner of the 1987 St. Patrick’s Day Feature - Second in the 1987 Wonderland Derby - Finalist in the 1987 Greyhound Race of Champions - Finalists in the 1987 American Derby
5-K’S BROADWAY (Pat Dalton Kennel) - U.S. Greyhound Hall of Fame - 1987 and 1988 All-American - Winner of the 1987 Derby Lane Festival of States Stake - Winner of the 1987 Derby Lane Gold Trophy Stakes - Winner of the 1988 Derby Lane All Star Kennel Preview - Winner of the 1988 Derby Lane Invitational - Winner of the 1988 Derby Lane Festival Stake - Second in the 1988 Derby Lane Sprint Classic - Second in the 1987 Wonderland Grady Sprint - Third in the 1987 Flagler International Classic - Third in the 1989 Derby Lane Matinee Idol Feature - Finalist in the 1987 Seabrook Great Greyhound Race - 1987 National Win Champ, 42 victories
6-OSHKOSH PEPPER (Thunderbird Kennel) - Winner of the 1987 Bluffs Run Countdown - 1987 Bluffs Run Greyhound of the Year
7-HONDO BARBARIAN (Regall Sports Kennel) - Winner of the 1987 Wonderland Grady Sprint - Finalist in the 1986 Wonderland Grady Sprint - 1986 Wonderland win champ - 1985 Lincoln win champ
8-SAY YOU (Fickett Racing Kennel) - Winner of the Bluffs Run Juvenile Stakes - Winner of the 1988 Southland Guys & Dolls - Third in the 1987 Mile High Stroh’s All-American Invitational - Finalist in the 1988 Greyhound Race of Champions - Southland track win champ - Set Southland 5/16 track record (31.84)
Before K’s Broadway’s owner Jack Kahn arrived in West Virginia for the Wheeling Challenge Invitational, he was convinced his sprinter was one of the fastest greyhounds in the country. He was not disappointed.
In the championship final, K’s Broadway – sent to post as the favorite at 7/5 odds – roared out of the box to the front of the star-studded field and was never seriously challenged in posting a 2-length stakes victory in 30.17. DD’s Nelson appeared to close the gap at one point but couldn’t overtake K’s Broadway.
Say You got up for third while Tri-State’s Eliot’s Pacer was fourth.
Two of the first four finishers – DD’s Nelson and Eliot’s Pacer – came from West Virginia tracks, a testament to the quality of greyhound racing in the state.
A total of $32,000 went through the mutuel windows at Wheeling Downs for the stakes race, which was simulcast to four other tracks. A total of $52,000 was bet on the Wheeling stake race at Biscayne, FL., $49,000 was wagered at Raynham, Mass., $51,000 at Wonderland near Boston and $18,000 at Tri-State.
After his stakes victory, K’s Broadway shipped to Florida where he finished third in the Flagler International Classic.
