The field has been whittled down once again for the Semi-Finals of the 2010 James J Patton Silver Cup and three races, 24 greyhounds, remain with a shot to make it into the elite 8 and have a shot at the title on Saturday evening September 4th.
The points have spread out once again after the third round and the top 16 remaining are all within a win of taking the lead in points for the stakes. The finishes in the semi-final will play a big role in who has a shot to run on Saturday, so tonight is going to feature some very interesting races.
The fun gets underway in the 7th race on the card in the first of three stakes events on the card.
1. Gm's Dale (Deerfield Site* - Steffie's Charm) is an early speed monster that gets the bonus of the rail post in this effort. This greyhound pays for it in the stretch though as he is short, short, short at the wire. If he wants to win, he needs to steal 20 and get some help behind.
2. Daycare Ron (Lonesome Cry - Ml Teardrops) might not be winning races, but he has been competitive in all of his stake attempts. Here from another great post, he will make up ground throughout and factor once again.
3. Comedrinkwithme (Dauntless - Instant Vintage) is a strong closer that has already won 2 of the 3 rounds of the stakes. He can break or close and likes to race from this part of the track. If he gets close early, no one will be able to stop him late.
4. Miss Romy (Fuzzys Cannon - Miss Kissable) needs the rail in order to be effective and it might be a task from this 4 box. If she can get clear, she is a tough as anyone in this field. From the lead or from behind she is a threat. Watch out if she wants to go.
5. Kiowa Shag Along (Flying Stanley - Kiowa Shag Sue) is all about the early speed and needs to hit the lid in order to be effective. Here from the 5 box he will have room, but even on the lead he might get caught. He needs a win if he wants a shot to move on.
6. Howdoyoulikethat (Lonesome Cry - Here's The Thing) draws another tough post in this race and his effort will all depend of whether he can get to the rail or not. He has some closing speed and he will need it in order to rebound. If everything goes his way, he might have a shot to win.
7. Ww Kay Sea (Greys Flamebeau - Ww Kiowa Silver) has closed extremely well over the 550 yard course, but she still needs room in order to get the engines revved up late. Her problem is not letting the lead get too long, or the closing will be a moot point in the stretch.
8. Kelsos Spiffy (Kelsos Fusileer - Kelsos Gabriella) is coming off a huge win in her last effort from a similar post position. Her key there, and tonight, is getting out of the starting box. When she is close, she is serious, without the lead she has been suspect on occasion. It's all about her desire here!
Well if breaking is the to Kelsos Spiffy's success in this effort, her post and surroundings should get her off to a great start in this effort. First, she likes it out here, second she has a slow breaking greyhound next to her, and third the greyhound inside of that is going straight to the rail when the box opens up. So, that all leads to one thing, she will have ALL kinds of room at the start of this race. All she has to do is be around the lead early, not in the lead, in order to have a good shot at the win. With all of these things going in her favor, not to mention her last effort, she should be the one to beat tonight. This won't be a walk in the park though as Comedrinkwithme is also a closer and has shown that he can win stakes rounds too. He was the last undefeated greyhound in this stakes, winning rounds 1 and 2, and gets another inside post position for the fourth straight round. If he decides to COME out early, this could be quite a battle in the stretch. Leading the way early on will most likely be Gm's Dale. Dale has shown great early speed and has not been beat to the turn in back to back qualifying races. His drawback is that he is short in the stretch and will be once again in this effort. Helping his out is the post position. Gotta love that one box, now if he could just get some help behind him, he might have an shot at an upset. Miss Romy is the other name not to be forgotten about in this effort. She is the only previous stakes finalist in this field and if she gets loose, she is as fast as anyone here. She has the skills to win with or without the lead in any race and like most, she just needs to have a clean trip and want to run in order to contend. It would not be out of the realm of possibility for her to steal away the win in this effort. (8-3-1-4)
The 2nd of 3 stakes events takes place in the 1st half of the Forced out Twin-Trifecta in race 10.
1. Kiowa Vinita (Flying Hydrogen - Greg Kiowa Girl) has shown some good closing speed in the stakes and has not finished out of the money yet. Hot off a win, and post in another rail post, she might be upset minded tonight.
2. Gm's Chicago (Dodgem By Design - Gs Gertie) was hot heading into the stakes and posted up a big win in round one. Clear from trouble and with the lead he is very tough to take down. He needs to find in break again tonight if he wants a chance to keep going in the stakes.
3. Eds Budby (Domingo Dodge - Cherokee Queen) might be the Derby Champ, but he has been running strong over 550 too. With a win, and 2 other starts in the money, he is a threat for the finals. The rail post and all out late speed in this effort might earn him a spot.
4. Citation Cam (Flying Penske - Ctw Miss Kelly) is a cagey veteran that has competed in several stakes races. She know how to contend and take home a win or two in the process. So far none in this stakes, but the rounds aren't done yet. If she breaks, tonight might just be her night to shine.
5. Miss Kate (Fuzzys Cannon - Miss Kissable) must come out of the box well in this effort. Nothing less will give her a chance to post up a victory. She runs her best near the lead, and finds way too much trouble without it. All she has to do is want to run, and it could be time to win again.
6. Kiowa Top Design (Dodgem By Design - Flying Acme) has been on a mission in his last couple of races. He has been breaking best and leaving fields in the lurch. He gets another good post here and it might be 3-peat in this effort.
7. Raiders Bart (Dodgem By Design - Raiders Azeri) is a solid competitor that has been a threat in each and every round of the stakes so far. No matter the post, or competition, Bart will come to run and be a threat throughout again in this effort.
8. Kiowa Trent Tam (Trent Lee - Kay V Barbierie) has done really well in this stakes over the shorter distance, but is a long way from her beloved rail tonight. She needs to find a way inside, but if she can, she will contend for the win once again.
Speed is the key to success once again in this effort and no one has been speeder from the starting box than Kiowa Top Design. WOW, this greyhound has really come into his down has of late and has started to consistently break during the rounds. Once in front he has been tough on the lead and should prove some again in this effort. I'm not saying that his lead won't dwindle with all of the closing power chasing him, but he should steal enough early on to win for the third straight time. Speaking of closers, the best in the field might just be Eds Budby. Noted for his longer distance prowess, Budby has done surprisingly well in this 550 yards stakes. Helping along his way in the semis will be the post position. Budby loves it on the rail and should make up ground throughout again to challenge for the win at the wire. Raiders Bart is the solid chaser that will be forcing the pace from box to wire in this effort. He lines up right next to the big early speeder and will have someone to contend with for the duration of this event. If he can get ahead of the rest at any point in this effort, this race could be his to lose. Kiowa Trent Tam has to be respect here despite the post position. She is a long, long, long way from the rail, but with 6 straight quiniela trips, she cannot be forgot about in this race. Over 550 she has closing gears and has been breaking very well against some early speed machines. If she can get room early and find a way inside, she will factor in the hunt at the wire. (6-3-7-8)
Capping off the evening stakes events, the 11th race on the card is the 3rd and final race of the semis.
1. Leading Steps (Lonesome Cry - Tk Ashira) needs to get back to what he does best, BREAKING! He sat in the box in his last effort and ended a run of back to back in the money efforts in the stakes. He needs to win to move on, so hitting the lid is the ONLY option.
2. Switzler Takeoff (Clappin Thunder - Switzler Firefly) has closed well in the last couple rounds of the stakes and finds herself in an advantageous post position at the start of this effort. If she can get round close, she might just find a way into the cash again tonight.
3. Kiowa Vanessa (Flying Hydrogen - Greg Kiowa Girl) made the most of those 1 boxes in the last 2 races. This is not the 1 box, but if she breaks like she did in those 2 races, she will be a factor on the front end to the wire again. Holding on for the win might be a stretch, but you never know.
4. Kiowa Trent Tovi (Trent Lee - Kay V Barbierie) is riding high of a win last time and needs to parlay that into another strong effort in this race. He has good closing speed, is close to the rail that he loves in this effort. All he needs to do is come out close to the early leaders, and his dreams might come true.
5. Klarissa (Fuzzys Cannon - Well Chosen) has shown some early speed in the stakes, but has proved to be just too short in the stretch to really factor for the win in any effort. Once again in with the best the racetrack has to offer, she needs to find a way to get the front early or it could be all over.
6. Paddy Whacker (Heart Rumble* - Spicy Candy) might just be the fastest greyhound in the stakes, but if he wants another stakes title, he has to make the finals first. Posted well here, he just needs to come out better in order to drive up and challenge at the finish line for the win.
7. Mr. Clark (Fuzzys Cannon - Miss Kissable) draws another good post to start out this race and his effort is in direct coloration to his break. When he is close early he is as fast as he wants to be, but if he gets too far behind he usually finds trouble. If he wants to break, he could challenge for the lead & the win tonight.
8. Really Xtreme (Afleet Alex - Xtreme Hustler) might be a puppy but he is running well beyond his years. With 8 wins and 11 quinielas in his 12 career starts, he is a man, especially from the outside. With a solid break and closing gears late, he might be the best this field has to offer.
No matter who breaks to the lead in this race I think the true battle comes down to the best two late speed greyhounds in this race. Really Xtreme and Paddy Whacker are the greyhounds that should contend for the win tonight. Both greyhounds have unbelievable raw speed and both can come from off the pace to get up for the win in the later stages of this race. Both greyhounds also get to start from a great post position and will have to do nothing to get to where they want to be on the racetrack. Either one of this duo could break too and then it might just get really ugly around here. In this effort it might just come down to once simple fact that will determined the winning of this race, WHO WANTS IT MORE! Now for the breaking part of the equation, Kiowa Vanessa. She has come out best in her last two races in a row and tonight, even though it is not the one box, she will continue the trend. Holding on has been a problem in the past and against this talented field, it will be again. She will give her all though and run as far as she wants on the lead, once past, she will fade back but should still stay in the money at the finish line. Now for the wildcard, Mr. Clark. Ok, so it's a homer pick, but really I do have some facts behind my selection. He likes to break from the outside and gets another strong post here in the 7 box. He has good early speed, when he wants to break, and if he comes out running he will be ahead of the big dogs to either side of him heading to the turn. He has been running well as of late too with a win and a second place finish in 3 rounds of the stakes. I know this is a huge mountain to climb, but if he sticks to the mantra of I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, it might just turn into I KNOW I CAN. (8-6-3-7)
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