Not only will there be great greyhound racing this weekend at the Orange Park Kennel Club, the best of the best, the biggest of the big, and the fastest of the fast will be on hand to compete for victory in their respective races.
Over both 550 and 660 yards, the big names will also be accompanied by some rising stars, and other veterans, that will be looking to take down the superstars before the finish line.
And let's all remember that every DOG has it's day and just because the name might not be recognizable, there is a reason the greyhound is in grade A to start with. The little names must be looked at too if the situation fits, which is could in some of the races this weekend.
Time for the first race of the series and it comes on Friday evening in the 7th on the card. This race should be a highly contested event with loads of evenly matched up greyhounds sprinting out and to the first turn, but it will be hard to pick against Deerfield Can. Can has won 2 races in a row and draws another favorable post position tonight near the rail. His break has been the key to his success and it should come out running once again in this effort. If he can make the front, it's going to be a 3-peat tonight. Upstart Sobe Cream Puff might have gotten creamed in her first effort in grade A, but she was in ultra tough. Tonight the field might be a bit more to her liking and the 4 box is at lease a bit closer to the rail than the 5 was last time out. Breaking well will be the key to this puppies success too. We know she has the skills to win at this level, she just needs to show up and prove it against the best at the racetrack. Speaking of showing up, you never have to worry about this next guy! Cjc's Buckshot gives his all in each and every effort and will do so again in this race. With 6 races in a row in the trifecta in grade A, you know just what you are going to get, but winning might be another story. He has only taken home the top spot in 1 of those races, and that was 3 races ago. We all know he has the talent to win this effort, he just needs to get out of the box a bit better to get it done. If he waits too long early on, he will just be closing late for another in the money finish. Jayvan is the other strong closer in this field and like Buckshot, she too will be coming on in a hurry in the stretch. The post is not the best, but if she can get inside just a bit, it really won't matter all that much. Over her last 6 races she has not missed the money and has taken home victories on 2 occasions. If the mood suits her, she too could take home the victory in this effort.
Race 10 is the match-up of the whole weekend. If you can see just one race, this one is the one to catch. Talk about a match-up! It might was well be a match race, or a stakes final! Recent 50 race winner Count Ivan gets to take on the ultra dangerous Ru Tuff Enuf. As always, there are fans in each camp and if either one of them decides to run his race, either one could put a hurting on the other. Recently Ivan has had the upper edge. He has won 5 of 6 starts including a run of 4 in a row, and did I mention that he has been doing it from behind too? Growing up at the right time, Ivan gets the slight edge in my book. Now don't discount Tuff Enuf though. Sure he might run hot and cold at times, but when he is on, he is burning, scalding, surface of the sun, hot! Just look at his last two wins. Ok, I know they were 5 races apart, but you can't ignore 30.29 and 30.32 se3conds. Bother of those times blow by anything Ivan has but up in his last 6 trips and just proves what he can do in the open. Both greyhounds are posted up well and if they both come out running, this could be a battle royal from start to finish. Others to play on the undercard would have to be the impressive puppy Fay's Fonda and Kiowa Stan Cay. Fonda might not be winning a ton of races, but he is around throughout in almost all of the ones that he runs in. He has not missed the money in 6 races in a row in grade A and with a strong rail post tonight, I expect more of the same. I don't see an upset, but in the money, third best, yep! Stan might have not looked all that great in his last couple of efforts, but previous to that he had been in the quiniela in 4 races in a row. Post will be his biggest hurdle in this race, but if Tuff Enuf breaks, he will have all kinds of room to get to the turn. Another greyhound that is not all the flashy, but effective, so consider him in the second half of your tickets tonight.
Post will make the difference in the 11th race on the card as Bl Punch N Judy is a rail running machine. From the one box this greyhound is MONEY! She has won 4 of her 7 starts and has yet to finish out of the top 4 positions. Breaking and running well as of late, she has 5 of 6 in the trifecta, tonight she gets back winning from this ultimate post position. Fth Keystone Kid is no slouch herself and I think she is getting tired of finishing second. She was just about to win in her last two races in a row and then that darn Kiowa Swizzle had to go and run her down for the win. No Swizzle here and that might just be all she needs to take home a win in this effort. Ok, the outside post should help too, but talent is all she need and trust me when I say she has that. With 4 of her last 6 efforts in the trifecta from similar post positions, expect more of the same tonight. Deerfield Moss is a super closer that is going to be coming on strong at the end of this race to challenge. He can pick up the best of them is he is close enough early, and even if he breaks slowly, he can still run down some on the late lead. Like his counterparts he has been hot as of late with 5 efforts in a row in the money. That run includes 2 wins but both of those came from the far outside post position. Can the early speed hold throughout, or will the closer get to everyone before the finish line? THAT is Moss's big question that he needs to answer tonight. Where's Playpen is another good early speed greyhound that should be pushing the pace throughout in this effort. She has not missed the trifecta in 6 races in a row and comes into this effort with a win in her last race in grade A. She has not made the front in any of those starts and has been running tough without the lead for over a month. The 8 box will not be her friend in this race as she would much rather be inside, but if she can stalk early, she should be able to hold tough throughout and find a spot in the superfecta again at the finish line.
Capping off the evening is another 550 yard race and in the 15th the fastest greyhound ever at the Orange Park Kennel Club straps on the muzzle and looks for yet another win. Kiowa Swizzle is getting better with age and the scary thing is that he is learning how to win races without the front end. He has posted up wins in 5 of his last 6 efforts and he has come from off the pace to win his last two races in a row. Here is starts out from his favorite post position, the 8 box, and it should be off to the races early on. The real question in this race is who is going to run second? Well there are plenty of closer to fill that role, but I'll go with the only other somewhat early speed greyhound. Uss Fine Touch is still a bit of a closer, but she does break better then than majority of this field. Working in her favor tonight is the one box. She should get a clean lane to the turn tonight and that will go a long way to help her in this effort. She is running hot too, with 3 wins in her 6 straight trifecta finishes, the pedal is to the metal in again in this effort. Now on to the duo that will be coming from nowhere to challenge for next best in this effort. Just Say So and Deco Daron Hart are both big time finishers that have loads of experience and talent behind each and every one of their makeup steps. Either one of these two could upset, if they could ever get out of the starting box, but I don't think tonight is that night. Say So gets the slight edge due to post position and back to back winning efforts from way behind early on, but let's not leave out the veteran. he has been no slouch with 3 efforts in a row in the superfecta and a win 5 races back in impressive fashion. Locking up late, the best part of the race to watch tonight might just be the stretch run.
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Saturday - 10/24/2009
Now the 7th race for Saturday evening might not have the name power as the rest of them, but it is still a highly competitive race and should be a fun one to watch. Anyone might have a shot at taking home the victory here, so let's go with our best guess. Gs Craig leads the way and even though it have been awhile since he has posted up a win, he has been high competitive in his last 5 races in a wow. He has not missed the superfecta in any of those race and that includes a run of 4 races in a row where he finished 2nd at the wire. Post is not an issue with him here and it's time to get off the snide and get up for the win tonight. Kiowa Vanessa has a similar take with red hot running, but she gets the added bonus of a great post position to break from. She likes it wide and has flourished in the past from this very post. Her last win came from the 6 box and she backed that up with another in the money effort in her next effort. She has the skills to win and if she gets loose early on, they all might be trying to get to her before the finish line. La's Butch is back in grade A and although he is not his brother, ANTHONY, he does have some chops of his own, especially from the rail post positions. Tonight he starts out in the 2 box and that is close enough for him to be effective. Like other DQ greyhounds, he is mainly a closer that can get close on occasion and take home an easy win. With a pair of wins and 3 trifecta efforts in his last 5 races, he must be considered a threat tonight from this great starting box. Ctw Anti Gravity might be moving back to grade A in this effort, but don't let the lower lines fool you. She can hang with the best of them and has done some in several races. Tonight from the outside, she should get a clean run to the turn and that might be all she needs to surprise the field in this effort. Besides, did you look at the lines she ran before getting back to A? They are pretty strong, 3 in a row in the trifecta! Rested and ready to romp, she plays a big role in the outcome of this race tonight.
Now for the big brother! La's ANTHONY is back in grade A and back winning at the Orange Park Kennel Club. This greyhound is a monster on the front end and that is just where he is going to be at the start of this race. He has extra room early on with the 4 box and with 3 wins in his last 4 races he seems like the logical choice to win, but not so fast my friend says Hanks Diana. She is also a breaker and has won back to back races in grade A in her last 2 efforts. The only drawback for her here is the post position. She likes it nearer the rail than the 6 box, but if she breaks it really won't matter all that much. If she can clear with Anthony to the turn, it is going to be quite a race to witness. Hallo Mr Great is also an early speed greyhound in a good post, but he is way too short at the end of the race to steal away the victory. But that is not the end of the story for him. He has enough early to get into contention with the leaders and once he is hanging around, he normally does it all the way to the finish line. He has been in the superfecta in 4 races in a row and tonight the trend doesn't stop. Look for another strong stalking effort throughout as he continues the streak. Fay's Redford needs to be close early on in order to be effective, and frankly I don't know if tonight is the night or not. When she is on, she is a handful, but when she is off, she is not going to threaten anyone for a money position. Just look at her lines and you will see just what I mean. She has finished in the trifecta in 3 of her last 6 efforts and in each of those starts she was in contention early on as they ran to the first turn. Helping her tonight is the post positions as she likes to race wide and the 7 box is far enough outside in order to be effective tonight.
Capping off the evening in the final race on the card is a great 660 yard affair where early meets late speed. Clearly Kiowa Deli Dee is going to be in the early lead in this race, but can she steal enough early and get some help behind in order to win? NO! The Power is changing hands here, ok well EXCHANGEing hands. Power Exchange is in the one box and that really is all you need to know in this race. He is a monster from the inside and like most DQ greyhounds he can come from off the pace and get the job done in the stretch. Don't look for him to be 3 in front or anything, but in the stretch he will prove best in this effort. Now on to his kennelmate, Love Girl Tiffy. Tiffy is back! She has started to break again and when this greyhound is close early, she is tough to keep out of the winner's circle. She has won back to back races in close fashion and took down all 4 of the top competitors in this race in their last effort together. Tonight she puts up another strong bid, just a bit short of the win at the finish line. Gs Kruz is back here too and even though he might not make the lead, he will be a force to be reckoned with in this effort. Why? He loves this starting box. Every time he starts out in the 8 box, he is a threat and if you don't believe me, just look at his lines. He has not missed the money in his last 4 efforts from the outside post position. Look for him to factor in every step he takes tonight. Now back to Deli Dee. In the lead in 5 of her last 6 races, so you know where to find her early on in this one, in front! But she has only won 1 of those starts, so weakening in the stretch is what she is going to do again in this race. She is short, but not short enough to finish out of the money. She has been there in 7 races in a row and 10 of her last 11 starts. If she can get some help behind early, she might have a chance to hold on at the wire for the upset tonight!
