Feldcrest

Whelped Nov. 15, 1955, Feldcrest was from one of the last litters Orville Moses raised in Phoenix, before moving his operation to Ocala. Her sire was No Refund (More Taxes-Soapy Hands), who raced in the shadows of his more popular brother, Beach Comber, also a Hall of Famer greyhound. Her mother was Ornamental, a product of three successive generations of Hall Of Fame greyhounds–her sire Lucky Pilot, his sire Never Roll, and Never Roll’s sire Lucky Roll. Another Hall Of Fame greyhound, Upsidedown, Imp., also appears within her first three generations.

Feldcrest, who was kennel named “Dink”, began her career with little fanfare at Pensacola in 1957, winning only seven races in 25 starts. That winter at St. Petersburg, she racked up 16 victories, which normally would have been more than enough for track win honors at St. Pete. But kennelmate Membership won 17.

The summer she won five of eight at Pensacola, then seven more at Raynham, where she smashed the world record for the 5/16ths-mile course. Her talents were apparent, her reputation growing, but now at three years of age, her potential had still not been reached.

Then came Taunton, and a campaign that made the whole racing world stand up and notice this new queen of racing. In the Taunton Inaugural, Feldcrest once again lowered the world standard for the 5/16ths, this time to 30.3. Fittingly, her brother Kosher ran second.

All eyes were on Feldcrest in that year’s American Derby. She breezed through her trials and was pitted against the defending champ and her kennelmate, Clydesdale, in the finals.

It was no contest, as he trounced the Derby hopefuls by eight lengths. Indeed, Feldcrest made them “look like Grade C’s.”

Feldcrest was named Greyhound of the Year in 1958, and her 40 victories for the year won her national title honors. She kicked off her 1959 campaign with a victory in the St. Petersburg Inaugural, then journeyed to Hollywood to compete in the $10,000 Silver Anniversary Stake. She won both trial rounds and the finals with little challenge.

Seven starts and three victories later, Moses retired Feldcrest. During her career, she had won $51,384.80 and compiled a 73-24-8 record in 126 starts. Those who saw her run will include her among the very best greyhounds of any era._

In her last public appearance at Taunton, Feldcrest was paraded by Rink before a cheering crowd. She ran an exhibition race that night churning the 5/16ths-mile course in 30.5. As the Greyhound Racing Record then re-ported: “The greatest greyhound to race at Taunton since Real Hutsman was brought up to Managing Director Joe Linsey, who placed a gold collar around her neck. as a symbol of the high esteem in which she is held·by officials, owners, trainers and fans.”