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A Mega victory in Distance Classic

 
Published April 18, 2015

ST. PETERSBURG — Mega Nerfetta needed a mega effort to win the $80,000 Distance Classic at Derby Lane.

She didn't disappoint.

Arguably the track's top 660-yard greyhound, Mega Nerfetta parlayed a scorching start and a frantic finish into her second career stakes victory on April 11.

"Do you mind if I sit down? I feel like I'm 130 (years old) after that race," kennel owner Don Burk, 54, said.

Mega Nerfetta's quick start — a three-length lead at the first turn — was the difference as the 9-5 favorite held off Farmer Racing's Highlyclassified by a nose. The winning time of 36.84 seconds equaled her career best.

"(Mega Nerfetta) has progressively gotten a little better and more consistent with the break," Burk said. "If you look at her times, they stay on pace and they're not scattered."

The victory by the 27-month-old daughter of Trent Lee and Starz Arcadia raised her lifetime earnings over $81,000 with the $32,000 first-place prize, and moved her into a tie for the meet win lead with Husker Magic of Abernathy kennel at 12. (Husker Magic regained sole possession of first place Tuesday with her 68th career victory.) Every win by Mega Nerfetta has been against stakes and Grade A rivals, representing nearly half of Burk Greyhounds' 26 top-grade victories. Overall, it was her 23rd win in 80 starts.

Mega Nerfetta remained unbeaten in 660 stakes finals. On Dec. 13, she captured the $75,000 Holiday Distance Challenge. Winning the Distance Classic establishes Mega Nerfetta as an early candidate for 2015 All-America honors and a Flashy Sir award as the nation's top distance athlete, neither of which Burk has won.

"It's still a long way for the whole year," he said. "But she's right there. Look at her record."

The 63-pound dog has won 15 of her past 31 starts, all at the top grade. Her first Grade A win didn't come until start No. 50. She is trained by Garrett Burk, Don's 28-year-old son, for owner Jeff Blair of Abilene, Kan.

Highlyclassified, who clocked a meet-best 660 time of 36.73 in the event's final qualifier on April 8, came up just short of giving kennel owner John Farmer his first Derby Lane stakes title. Highlyclassified owner Monte Jacobs, 40, of Claflin, Kan., said the start was the difference.

"Sometimes, these (stakes) races are won at the break, and dogs (like Mega Nerfetta) are pretty hard to catch," he said. "If we would have had one more step, we probably would have won."

HORSES: Tampa Bay Downs owner-trainer Peter Wasiluk Jr. snapped an 0-for-87 streak this year when Cowboy Luke won on Sunday. "It's been rough," he said. "But as rough as it's been, we've still been able to pay our bills, we've survived, and it will be better from here on in. We've got a shot to get on a little bit of roll before we get out of here." It was Wasiluk's 632nd career victory.