It seems as though it was just a matter of time before High Star Kennel’s Mulberry Lazer took down the longstanding 550-yard track record at Gulf Greyhound Park, and on Saturday Night in the feature tenth race, the youngster out of Stan’s Boy Flyer and Global Statement did it. Not yet two-years old (whelped on June 8, 2007), the Mick Massa owned Mulberry Lazer used a very powerful effort in beating the top grade AA field by ten-lengths and resetting the 550-yard mark at 29.65, just one-hundredth of a second below the old mark of 29.66. The old record stood for over twelve years and was held by Grace Land Blaze, one of the best greyhounds to ever run at the Gulf.
Mulberry Lazer, trained by Heather Currid, flirted with the record mark just two starts ago on April 16, running an extremely quick 29.68. 'I knew he was fast,' said Currid, 'but this is unbelievable.' 'When he came close a couple of starts ago, I saw he had the speed to beat the track record, but really doing it is extremely exciting.' Some of the 'old-timers' around the racetrack said the Grace Land Blaze track record would never be beaten, and they had plenty of good ammunition to back up their theory; with top greyhounds running at the track over the past twelve-year span since the record was set, it is an amazing accomplishment. If big name contenders including Be Discrete, Bob’s Skeet, Gable Oscar, nor Shadow of a Doubt, just to name a few, couldn’t lower the record, it seemed likely that the 'old-time' nay Sayers were right, but Mulberry Lazer would have something to say about that!
In the record setting race on Saturday Night, Lazer broke from the dreaded but lucky five-hole position in fourth place; however, this was the last time on the fastest trip around the GGP oval ever, that any other greyhound would be close to him. After that, he cruised to a four-length lead at the 1/8-pole call, extending to a huge eight-length margin at the head of the stretch and won the record setting race by ten, setting the new mark at 29.65, something new for the 'old-timers' to ponder.
|