She's A Pearl's best Wentworth Park time is faster than the figures posted by all three previous winners of the TAB Million Dollar Chase so the current "Queen of Wenty" looks to have Saturday night's 2022 final at her mercy.
Mystic Riot won the inaugural 2018 final for JODIE and Peter Lagogiane in 29.67 while a year later Frank Hurst's Good Odds Harada established the race record with a flying 29.34 performance.
The Lagogianes notched their second Million Dollar Chase with Handsome Prince who clocked 29.72 in 2020 but She's A Pearl recorded 29.30 in her 2022 semi-final win on April 29.
That was no fluke as nine days earlier she had recorded 29.38 and on Saturday night is chasing her 12th straight win after being first past the post in 16 of her past 17 races.
She's A Pearl has box four in the final but as trainer JODIE Lord pointed out: "Boxes don't really matter with her because she is such a brilliant beginner and so quick to the first turn.''
She's A Pearl has won nine of her 13 appearances from the "squeeze" boxes four and five and goes into the final boasting the remarkable strike rate of 21 wins from 32 races.
Her only serious rivals loom as Good Odds Cash, a close relation of her trainer Frank Hurst's 2019 Chase final winner, and Coast Model, one of JODIE Lord's three 2022 finalists.
Good Odds Cash Chased She's A Pearl home at Wentworth Park on March 26, April 9 and April 20, and was .37sec slower than Lord's champion when she took out her Million Dollar Chase semi-final on April 29.
Frank Hurst was hoping for box one with Good Odds Cash but was satisfied when she drew box five, immediately outside She's A Pearl, believing the draw could give his bitch a chance of being dragged across the field by the hot favourite.
Coast Model overcame an unsuitable box eight draw to win her MDC semi-final in 29.69 but in 31 Wentworth Park appearances she produced her personal best Wentworth Park time of 29.58 when she drew box one on January 8.
Paul Mills, one of JODIE Lord's kennel foremen, said: "Coast Model is absolutely jumping out of her skin this week and looks ready to run a mighty race.''
Trainer Mark Gatt, who has Ritza Gloria and Ritza Donald in Saturday night's Masters Meteor final, believes Kooringa Lucy is the greyhound to beat but trainer Mark Moroney is quietly confident Fire Legend can score his 38th win.
Fire Legend reached the final with a fading third to Ritza Donald and Angry Blizzard in his heat but has box one in the $100,000 to the winner final and is expected to strip fitter than he did 10 days ago.
"Fire Legend went into his heat under-done because he hurt his hip when second at Casino on April 14 and I was unable to run him again until he won over 350m at Grafton on April 24,'' Moroney said.
"He had six weeks off in January and February and badly needed his past couple of races so I'm sure he is ready to go close on Saturday night.
"He has a perfect draw and I have no plans to retire Fire Legend because he is as good as he ever was.''
Fire Legend has won eight of his 13 races from box one but Kooringa Lucy, a luckless third in Ritza Gloria's heat, has drawn three and has won five of her nine appearances wearing the white rug.
Sentimental favourite for the race will be Sunburnt Highway, the veteran of the field who will be retired win or lose at start number 152.
Simply Limelight's trainer Peter Rodgers admits he was "shattered" when his exciting youngster drew box eight in Saturday's Bob Payne Sprint final but believes his dog's immense talent will enable him to overcome his awkward draw.
"In his heat Simply Limelight got a such a bad check at the start that only a truly exceptional dog could do what he did and get up to finish second,'' Rodgers said.
"If he nails the start from box eight in the final I think he has the pace to cross the field and lead at the first turn.
"But if he doesn't and he crosses behind his rivals onto the rails he is strong enough to still win.
"I took him back to Wentworth Park for a hand-slip on Tuesday night and they don't run much faster than the time Simply Limelight reeled off.''
