May 6--A stroke of blind luck early carried a Tiffin man to the top of The Blade's year-long stock contest through March. But a Toledo woman had an even bigger stroke of luck last month and is the new leader.

Susan Darmofal, 61, a homemaker, is the new leader as of May 1, thanks to Dendreon Corp., a Seattle firm whose successful test of a new cancer drug boosted its stock price 193 percent in April.

Her hypothetical portfolio is worth $86,683, up 117 percent. Of her four picks, Dendreon is up 381 percent for the year; gold-mining firm Yamana Gold Inc. is up 4 percent; DVR maker Tivo Inc. is up 4 percent, and mining firm Thompson Creek Metals Co. is up 78 percent.

Now second among 730 entrants is Aaron Howell of Tiffin, who had ridden a 233 percent gain by surgical laser manufacturer Advanced Medical Optics. His portfolio is $72,088, up 80 percent.

In third is Monclova resident Charles Hoecherl, whose portfolio is worth $66,223, up 66 percent.

Mrs. Darmofal said her husband, Robert, a retired engineer who won The Blade's Wonder Stock contest in 2000, provided suggestions for her portfolio but she chose Dendreon.

On April 13 the firm said its drug trials showed Provenge extended survival for patients in prostate cancer's late stages. Its stock jumped from $7.50 a share to $16.99, and now trades at $22 a share.

Scott Anderson, a financial adviser at the Toledo office of Smith Barney, a contest co-sponsor that tabulates monthly results, said more volatile issues such as biotech or financial stocks are starting to take off.

"Expectations were cut in half over the last part of last year. What's happening now is [companies] are beating earning expectations,"

Contestants had to select two New York Stock Exchange and two Nasdaq stocks, worth at least $3 a share, by Dec. 31, 2008, and divide an imaginary $40,000 evenly among the four picks.

The top portfolio by year's end wins $200 and a trip to Chicago, Toronto, or Tampa, courtesy of contest co-sponsor Central Travel of Toledo. Second place gets $300, and third place gets $200.

Other contest leaders and their portfolio values are Ken Weislak, Perrysburg, $61,650; Jay Sepanski, Sylvania, $61,282; Billie Stewart, Bryan, $61,091; Marlene Farkas, Toledo, $60,548; Kathy Laube, Tiffin, $60,175; Deb Pawlaczyk, Toledo, $59,731; and Gretchen Drummond, Oregon, $59,463.

Contact Jon Chavez at: jchavez@theblade.com or 419-724-6128.

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