Million Dollar Baby

Friday, 13 May, 2022,
by Peter Quilty

Million Dollar Baby

‘Wonder Woman’ Wow She’s Fast is well on the way to joining the sport’s exclusive ‘millionaires’ club.

Victoria’s sprinting queen will attempt to reign supreme in next week’s $100,000 to-the-winner Group 1 Sapphire Crown (515m) – and if the crown fits, wear it!

She was simply sensational at Sandown Park tonight with a stunning 29.19sec heat win – around four lengths off her incredible 28.93sec personal best, which is the fourth fastest ever at the Lightwood Road venue.

But as the racecaller so descriptively commented: “There were a few heart flutters… She gave everyone palpitations.”

Prepared at Pearcedale by Jacqui Greenough, Wow She’s Fast ($1.20F) was last early and had some work to do. But in the style of a true champion, she picked herself up from the canvas to land her 10th win from 15 starts including eight from 10 over this track/distance.

Wow She’s Fast – winner of the inaugural TAB Phoenix and G3 Launching Pad – will spiral her earnings to a staggering $1,047,370 if she wins the final.

She was the $3.00 ‘All In’ favourite prior to commencement of the Sapphire Crown series.

But she is sure to have a serious battle on her hands after her kennelmate, Levitation ($6.10), clocked a scintillating 29.06sec (Best) heat win. “Team Greenough” has an ‘embarrassment of riches’ in the final. Levitation – which finished seventh to Wow She’s Fast in the Launching Pad – brought up her sixth win (all at Sandown Park) from 20 starts. She was $21.00 in nominal betting.

Greenough’s husband, Kel, won the 2009 Sapphire Crown with Cindeen Shelby.

VIDEO REPLAYS

Other highlights to emerge from Friday night’s heats included:

Idolize – trained at Devon Meadows by Peter Presutto – reached her fourth G1 final after claiming a heat in 29.38sec. It was her 15^th win from 27 starts, including six of her past nine. Idolize – G1 National Futurity winner and G1 Temlee runner-up – was a $4.50 second elect in nominal betting.
G1 Australian Cup finalist Immunity produced a whirlwind finish in her heat. Trained by Jason Thompson, Immunity stormed home in 29.37sec to snare her 24^th win from 43 starts. On the third line of pre-post betting at $8.50, Immunity provides Thompson with an opportunity of a third Sapphire Crown victory. He saluted with Peggy May (2012) and Black Opium (2020).
Avalon-based Jessica Sharp will launch a two-pronged challenge with Devel Sixteen and Let’s Win Coin in the final. A G1 Golden Easter Egg finalist last year, Devel Sixteen semaphored 29.46, while Let’s Win Coin – a former SA speedster – finished second to Immunity. Sharp finished fourth with Junk Food Junkie in last year’s final.

Heat winners
(fastest to slowest)

Levitation – 29.06sec
Wow She’s Fast – 29.19sec
Immunity – 29.37sec
Idolize – 29.38sec
Devel Sixteen – 29.46sec

Photos by Clint Anderson

Peter Quilty

Peter Quilty has more than three decades of experience as assistant editor of Victorian Greyhound Weekly. He was editor of GRV monthly magazine The Adviser (2001-09) and owner/publisher of Australian Greyhound Monthly. He also served on the selection panel for the inaugural GRV ‘Hall of Fame’ inductees and for several years was an adjudicator on the Victorian GOTY. He’s also published greyhound racing yearbooks and wrote the ‘Bold Trease’ video script.