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Ww's Odessabeach makes run at Husker Magic stakes final

 
Published Sept. 23, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG — When Hurricane Irma blew through Florida earlier this month, Ww's Odessabeach remained in her comfort zone.

Rain and wind pounded the Derby Lane compound, but the 33-month-old female stayed calm with Patriot kennel trainer Richard Marcoux within eyesight.

"(Richie and his fiancee) locked themselves up in the kennel, brought their TVs, their cots, and were in the kennel for a couple of days (during the hurricane)," Patriot owner Vinny Savill said. "They slept with the dogs, and made sure the dogs were okay and got fed until Irma went away. It was just terrific."

In Ww's Odessabeach's first start after the hurricane Sept. 16, she took her foes by storm in the $50,000 Husker Magic Fall Sprint — winning a second-round qualifying race by five lengths. It was her first victory in 16 career stakes-related starts. That effort has put the daughter of Djays Octane and Ww's Gucci in excellent position to secure a spot in the Sept. 30 championship race as qualifying concludes Saturday.

Ww's Odessabeach ranks fifth in points with 27, 15 behind leader Rt's Bo Jangles of Cal Holland kennel. She drew box 6 in Race 10 at 9:47 p.m. If Ww's Odessabeach makes the 550-yard finale, Savill and his wife, Phyllis, plan to travel from their Whitman, Mass., residence to watch the 57-pound greyhound trackside. The four-time Derby Lane kennel champion has not won a title in the past 46 stakes races since T's Hanky Panky captured the 2013 St. Petersburg Derby.

"(Ww's Odessabeach) is a very, very nice dog," Vinny Savill said. "I think she's got a shot to win the whole thing if she gets to the final. If she gets to the front, she's going to be very tough to beat. She's healthy right now, and that's the key."

Ww's Odessabeach has won four of 10 starts since returning in July from a leg injury. She was sidelined five months.

"(Marcoux) started working the dog back, and he let me know that he thought he had something special there," Savill said. "I know the dog can run a lot. Being off for five months, I think, really helped her. She's not quite 3 years old, and she's very lightly raced. She looks tremendous."

Ww's Odessabeach has career wins from 63 career starts for breeder-owner Julia Ward of Abilene, Kan.

The Husker Magic title race was originally set for Sept. 16, but pushed back two weeks because of Hurricane Irma. Finalists will have seven days rest before the finale, compared to the usual three.

The change works well for Savill.

"Postponing (the finale) is great," he said. "This weekend is absolutely crazy. My wife and I have a couple of charity events we're working on, and I'm a season ticket holder with the New England Patriots. … I'll be going to the football game (Sunday against the Texans). But (having the championship race) a week from Saturday is terrific."