Lucky Pilot

You placed your owner, Ray Holmes, at the top of the sport in a hurry. Great, you certainly were, Lucky Pilot. At one time, you held four world records. Your time of 18.2 seconds for the 3-16ths mile set at Wonderland Park back in the 40’s still stands. It was in 1944 that Holmes purchased you for $1,400. Although you had never seen a training track, you blossomed out quickly. You went on to set a spectacular record of 12 victories and two seconds in 14 starts at the Central Florida track.

Holmes got a booking at Wonderland, where you set 4 world records and won 19 of your 24 starts. At St Petersburg in 1947, your owner found you too good for regular competition. As a result, a national match race between you and another Greyhound Hall of Famer, Flashy Sir, was arranged. Although you prolonged the best-of-six series by winning the futurity, you were beaten in the 5-16ths mile.

You went on to dominate the hot-box competition at Revere in the summer of 1947 but were limited to one race a week to avoid minus betting pools and an injury that interrupted your racing career. You regained your winning form at St. Petersburg in the Winter of 1948, winning 16 of 26 starts. After 10 starts the following summer, you retired.

All in all, despite injuries and lack of competition, you managed to compile a record of 61 victories, 13 seconds, and 7 thirds in 92 starts. At the time of your death in the early 50’s, you were the leading sire of the sport.