A version of this story appears in the March 2021 issue of National Geographic magazine.
It’s 8:30 on a Saturday night in August. A gibbous moon hangs low in the sky, its glow no competition for the neon sign proclaiming GREYHOUND RACING and DERBY LANE.
About 300 people are scattered in the grandstands here in St. Petersburg, Florida, that once held thousands, murmuring as loudspeakers play big band and rockabilly. They fall silent when Frederick Davis leads the parade of dogs.
“TNT Sherlock,” says the announcer, calling for the first of the eight sleek animals as Davis halts them in front of the stands. Each dog wears a number attached to a snug vest known as a blanket. “Tailspin,” the announcer calls, “Charlotte York …”
Next, Davis, 41, and the eight handlers he supervises put the dogs in
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