The ascension of O's Lucy from Puppy Preview hopeful to favorite began as soon as the greyhound popped out of the box during Wednesday's semifinal race at Derby Lane.
The 18-month-old female went after the artificial lure from the start and left other contenders in her wake. She charged into the stretch ahead by more than two lengths and finished with a wire-to-wire victory.
"I knew she had a real good chance to win once she broke out of the box and took the lead," said Cal Holland Jr., who trains O's Lucy. "She's a real nice puppy."
The blue brindle, who won three of four schooling races, beat previously undefeated KGB Miss Emily and Leta's Shadow to emerge as one of the top dogs for the final of the Puppy Preview, the eighth race tonight.
Running out of the No. 4 post, O's Lucy gives Connel Kennel its best hope of winning the 5/16ths of a mile stakes race for the first time. To make that happen, the greyhound will have to get past Bow Heater (No. 3 post), WW Raise the Bar (No. 7) and KGB Miss Emily (No. 8).
In Wednesday's other semifinal race, WW Raise the Bar was tooling along the rail in second place, two lengths behind Bow Heater, who defeated WW Raise the Bar earlier this season. Then, at the tote board on the backstretch, WW Raise the Bar unleashed a surge that surprised even trainer Jay Graham, sweeping around Bow Heater and into first place.
"My eyes kind of opened when (WW Raise the Bar) took the lead before the final turn," said Graham, trainer for Wayne Ward Kennel. "That was the good news. The bad news is we have to back and beat Bow Heaters and some other great dogs again."
The 79th St. Petersburg Inaugural also will be held tonight in race 10. Contenders for the 5/16ths of a mile stake race include USS Westpoint (No. 3 post), Cayman Went (No. 5), Rooftop Moby (No. 7) and Flying Newport (No. 8).
USS Westpoint won the Futures Champions stake race in Tampa this summer.
Caymen Went also fared well at Tampa, winning the Speed Classic and the Derby. He also was last season's Matinee Idol winner at Derby Lane.
