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© St. Petersburg Times, published January 3, 2002
ST. PETERSBURG -- Jim Abernathy had a hard time explaining how his greyhound, Husker Saint, won the first Puppy Preview semifinal during the opening of Derby Lane's 77th season on Wednesday.
"I can't really say what the key is," said Abernathy, a trainer for the Don Abernathy Kennel. "He is just always out in front."
The 1 1/2 year-old fawn white male had won each of his four official schooling races at the St. Petersburg track by more than 8 lengths and was the betting favorite in the sixth race.
The winning trend continued as Husker Saint dictated the pace inside and ran 5/16ths of a mile in 31.14 seconds.
"I don't like to get too high on dogs early, but this pup looks awesome right now," Abernathy said. "He can run a lot."
Although Husker Saint led throughout and had the second-fastest time of the night, he won by 4 lengths, his closest race since being schooled in three weeks ago.
Irisheyesdancin, who the newly formed E&M Kennel paid more than $30,000 for at the National Greyhound Association auction in October, finished behind Husker Saint in :31.41. The black female started in eighth place.
"I thought she ran pretty well against some formidable competition," said Victor Hall, trainer for E&M Kennel. "We'll find out how she does Saturday night. All we need is the eight box."
The E&M Kennel found consolation in the next race as Kiowa Sweet Trey, who won 16 of 18 races at Wheeling Downs in West Virginia, won his Derby Lane debut. The red brindle male coasted to victory in the seventh race with a time of :31.18.
"I thought he ran pretty well," Hall said. "He's a special dog."
In the other Puppy Preview semifinal (race No. 8), Odd Tiger of the Lester Raines Kennel won in :31.62.
Smokin Sammi, who had won each of its four schooling races by more than 5 lengths and was the betting favorite, finished fourth and barely advanced to the final.
The final of the Puppy Preview and the St. Petersburg Inaugural are Saturday.
LOS ANGELES -- Jockey Dusty Stimpson, who won one of the richest stakes in quarter horse racing last month, was killed in a car crash. He was 29. Stimpson, a native of Ogden, Utah, had been riding at Los Alamitos Race Course since 1994 and totaled 424 wins there. He had 44 stakes victories that placed him 15th on the all-time list at the track.
SANTA ANITA: Phaenna edged Song Of Summer by 21/2 lengths in the $112,600 Survive Stakes at Arcadia, Calif. The 7-year-old Phaenna ran 51/2 furlongs in 1:03 1/5 and paid $28.80, $12.60 and $7. She earned $67,560 for her 10th victory in 27 starts to push her career total to $403,349.
-- Information from Times wires was used in this report.