Doreen and Kerry Drynan took the speedy daughter of Cosmic Rumble x Eluthra to 24 career wins, the 2014 Group 1 National Sprint title, a runner-up finish in the famed Melbourne Cup and more than $340,000 in prizemoney.
But it’s in the breeding barn where chapter after memorable chapter continues to be added to ‘Chica’s’ legacy.
The feats of her progeny not lost on Kerry who admits embracing the sustained success of the line is far healthier than worrying about ‘the one that got away’.
“We sold her [Chica Destacada] pretty early on in what was probably a moment of madness to be honest,” Kerry Drynan said.
“She was part of Eluthra’s fourth litter and by the time you get that far down the line, there’s a lot of greyhounds around to make decisions on.”
“Denis Donoghue [a member of the Dee & Pee Syndicate] was a dear friend of Mum’s and he came along one day saying he wanted to buy one. He chose the black bitch and that turned out to be Chica [Destacada].”
The Drynan family thrilled with her on-track success, then playing an instrumental role in ushering her first puppies into the world.
“I whelped the first litter of six for the owners which included the likes of Blue Moon Rising, Poco Dorado and Veloce Nero and we were offered two out of that group,” Drynan added.
“One of them was Steal The Glory. She never raced but we targeted her to breed with knowing the great line she was part of, and she’s the mother of Copious and Lady Divine who are running on Saturday night.”
The pair set to go around in the Beast Unleashed Bob Payne Sprint and Evans & Son Ladies Bracelet finals respectively.
With Drynan admitting both greyhounds will be up against it in the $25,000-to-the-winner Group 3 events.
“They’ve both been off the scene for a long time and I sort of threw them in the Deep end when the heats came up. They’ve just got a lot of fast competition,” Drynan added.
“Copious is out in Box 8 and he’s got no pace. The best he can do is fall out of the boxes and head down to the fence and hit the line hard. And Lady Divine isn’t badly boxed in 6 and she does have a bit of early toe.”
“They both true professionals though and perfect dogs in the kennel. Once they get to the track, they’re all business and seasoned campaigners now so they’ll be competitive.”
Drynan hopeful the pair’s sister, Reflections, will also make her return to the track in the near future, with the nine-time winner looking to add to her four Group final appearances in 2023.
“She’s the best one out of that litter and I’m hoping to get her back from a stressed hock pretty soon,” Drynan added.
I wish I had a kennel full of them. The girls have early speed and the boy’s are tough and strong. They just need that tad more to beat the really good ones.”
Reflections has a tick over $78,000 in earnings and was a G1 placegetter behind She's A Pearl in the 2023 Paws Of Thunder
The Drynan kennel keen to see what Steal The Glory’s next litter of youngsters can produce before the Llandilo local turns her attention to a succession plan.
“We’ve got four more puppies here by Aussie Infrared and that’s probably it for Steal The Glory. We may breed with Reflections and Lady Divine if and when it’s time but breeding is tough at the moment so we’ll have to wait and see.”
The Beast Unleashed Bob Payne Sprint and Evans & Son Ladies Bracelet finals will be run on Saturday, May 4 at Wentworth Park.
