Jun. 4--A company with a promising new treatment for prostate cancer has kept a Toledo woman in the lead for a second consecutive month of The Blade's yearlong stock contest.

Susan Darmofal, 61, is sitting on a hypothetical portfolio that has grown 152 percent since the contest began at the start of the year.

And one of Mrs. Darmofal's stocks -- Seattle-based biopharmaceutical company Dendreon Corp. -- is the highest-flier among any chosen by the contest's 730 entrants, up a remarkable 411 percent from its close on Dec. 31, 2008.

"My husband's a retired engineer. He's always watched the market. It's always on the TV. I just sort of picked it up by osmosis," Mrs. Darmofal said. "You just take your chances [on a stock], and that's what happened."

Her hypothetical portfolio is now worth $100,717. Two of her other picks are also doing well -- mining firm Thompson Creek Metals Co. is up 150 percent, and gold-mining firm Yamana Gold Inc. is up 48 percent -- while her fourth pick, DVR maker Tivo Inc., is down 2 percent.

She started Jan. 1 with a portfolio valued at $40,000.

"I don't know if she knew this thing was coming or she got really lucky," said Andy Weiner, a financial adviser at the Toledo office of Smith Barney, a contest co-sponsor that tabulates monthly results. "It's one of those industries that's somewhat defensive to some of the market downturns."

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.

With a portfolio value of $98,111, Kathleen Ansted of Holland isn't far behind Mrs. Darmofal. All four of her stocks finished May with substantial returns -- Canadian mining firm Teck Resources Ltd. was up 249 percent, Russian mining firm Mechel OAO was up 214 percent, while solar firms Ascent Solar Technologies Inc. and Solarfun Power Holdings were up 66 and 53 percent respectively.

Other contest leaders and their portfolio values are Michael Dennis, Toledo, $81,440; Charles Hoecherl, Monclova Township, $77,627; Aaron Howell, Tiffin, $76,100; John Shavalier, St. Clair Shores, Mich., $74,259; Marlene Farkas, Toledo, $73,458; Sally Lee, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, $70,071; Betty Dzierzak, Perrysburg, $69,695, and Brian Hill, Sylvania, $69,410.

Contact Larry P. Vellequette at: lvellequette@theblade.com or 419-724-6091.

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