3rd Round of the 2010 JGR Puppy Stakes

Friday - 5/28/2010


The field might be cut in half, but as they get smaller the competition gets tougher in the 2010 JGR Puppy Stakes.



For the third round races, 32 greyhounds will be competing for a spot in the next round and in the finals. There are really on two sitting pretty as we speak and that would be Fth Tiger Lilly and La's Jaguar. Both greyhounds are undefeated and if they continue to show up, they should have a very good shot at making the finals.



The rest well they will have to work for it, so without further delay, let's get into the quarter-finals of the 2010 JGR Puppy Stakes.



The first stakes race on the card comes in the 7th race.



1. Dance With Me (Get Over - Sugarnooche) runs best when close to the early lead in any race. Here the post will help her do what she needs to do to contend. If she can step up, she might move on.



2. Backatcha (Joe Hearns - Nikki Di) is a strong closer that has been making up ground late in both of the rounds of the stakes. Clear to the rail in this effort, this wide runner will need to find room early on.



3. Mw Springer (Lewis And Wax - Mw's April Rain) is still just a baby but he is running far beyond his limited ability so far in the stakes. From another rail post here, he should keep it going on.



4. Black Licorice (Heart Rumble* - Spicy Candy) is tough when he can get wide in any race and he wants to run. His last effort was a big one, he needs to find it again tonight if he wants to factor again.



5. Big Drama (Get Over - Rooftop Flojo) drove hard in the last effort to take home the win, but the 5 box is not the 8 box. She will have to find a lane to rush in tonight, but if she gets clear she could factor.



6. Kelsos Henchman (Kelsos Fusileer - Kelsos Picilino) is back over 550 for the stakes and has been coming on strong late in both efforts. Winning might be tough here, but challenging late won't be.



7. Smokin Snoopy (Go Joe Jester - Smokin Dizzy) has some good early speed and flashed it in both rounds of the stakes. From the outside he might be in trouble, but if he breaks, you never know.



8. Mr. Clark (Fuzzys Cannon - Miss Kissable) gets the same post that saw him win in round 2. He is a double threat and should clear again tonight. All he has to do is be close in order to threaten.



Well he might not be in the lead at the start of this race, but Mr. Clark will be at the finish line. This greyhound can run hot and cold, but from the outside posts he is normally dangerous. From here he breaks better and gets room to rush the turn. Let's see if he decides to open up the faucet again in this effort. Mw Springer is the other DQ entry in this race and another all out threat to win. He has been a tough running machine as of late and with another inside post, you could see another strong effort. He is a bit more one dimensional though as he has to be on or near the early lead in order to win. Lookout if he gets loose early on. Smokin Snoopy might just be able to make the lead in this effort. He has been breaking well as of late and has shown in the past that he can hold on to the lead and take home the win on occasion. If he wants to have a shot here, he needs to break well, and hope for some help behind him. Dance With me gets the 1 box and that should go a long way to help her in this effort. She also is a greyhound that has to be close early in order to be effective. She can hang and even close sometimes at the end of her races. Tonight the critical part of her effort will be the break. If she is in the mix early on, she might just have a shot at success in this race. (8-3-7-1)



The second stakes event on the card comes our way in the 9th race.



1. Tipsy Marcus W (Tipsy Character - Jetstar Streaker) is a steady runner that needs to come out a bit better at the start of the race. He will have to make due from the 1 box and needs to step up the effort.



2. Teeshawn (Fuzzys Cannon - Well Chosen) has come back from the rest and it appears that his break has returned as well. From the same post that gave him a win in round 1, he could be tough again tonight.



3. Trouble Free (Get Over - Rooftop Flojo) ran a huge effort in his last race and will to keep up the pressure tonight. From another advantageous post position, he might have an outside shot in this one.



4. La's Silver (Be Discrete - La's Felisha) is an all out early speed machine that could be in the early lead once again in this effort. Her drawback is that she is short in the stretch. So, the question is, if she does make the front, can she hold on to it.



5. Pure Performance (Dodgem By Design - Laveranues) likes to break as well and should be around the front end for the majority of this race. He has not seen a clear lead in a while, but he keeps trying. Tonight another strong effort.



6. Lorna's Cannon (Fuzzys Cannon - Instant Vintage) has a short fuse and can explode at any time in the race as long as someone lights her fuse. She was tough in round one and a dud in round two. She needs to get the fire started again in this one.



7. Fth Tiger Lilly (Take It Over - Fth Moon Dancer) has stepped up her game in the stakes with back to back wins. She is outside here, but if she keeps breaking it won't matter. Can she do it again? We'll see.



8. Jamboree Frankie (My John Q - Slingshot Misty) has some good early speed in his own right and will need to flash it once again in this effort. He likes it outside, and that alone might be enough to push him from the box and into the money at the finish line.



I'm are not kidding here when I say that this race is going to be very interested from the get go. There is a ton of early speed greyhounds in this race and it might come down to who wants it more in this effort. So with that being said, I'll take the hot hand, or paw, with Fth Tiger Lilly. This little girl had been on fire from since the stakes started and is trying to repeat her Daddys undefeated run thru this stakes back in 2008. She is already 2/5ths of the way there and all she has to do is clear early to keep the streak alive. I think she can get it done as she can show off a bit late if needed and some of the others are just plain short at the finish line. Even without the front end, she has a shot to win this effort. Now for the true speeders that might be trying to wire everyone on the lead. Teeshawn gets the first look. The rest has done him well and the 2 box will do him well again tonight. He loves the rail and gets no speed to his inside. If he bombs to the lead, he might be the one to beat in this effort. La's Silver is a bit time early speed threat as well. Her drawback is that she is short at the end of the race and has been run down way too much before. To her credit she has won two of her last 3 starts on the lead, but both of those came from the 8 box. Here in the middle posts, she needs a ton early in order to have a chance to hold on late. Pure Performance gets a notice too. He might not have been breaking as well as he can in his last several efforts, but he has been getting close enough early on to compete. His biggest asset is his determination. He just doesn't give up in races. He keeps trying and trying no matter where he is. Look at his lines and you will see what I mean. Winning might be a stretch, but factoring in the cash isn't a difficult proposition tonight. (7-2-4-5)



Stakes race three comes in the 11th race on the card and is chalk full of talent.



1. Palladio (Lonesome Cry - Ctw Miss Kelly) is a super rushing early speed greyhound that has beaten everyone to the turn in the stakes so far. He is short, short, short in the stretch though. The 1 box helps, but holding on is going to be tough against this field.



2. Smokin Scamp (Go Joe Jester - Smokin Dizzy) might not be in grade A, but has been running like it as of late. He has been breaking extremely well and contending throughout in each and every effort. Can he keep up the pace, now that is the question.



3. Paddy Whacker (Heart Rumble* - Spicy Candy) would much rather be outside in this effort, but if he can get some room early, WATCH OUT! He is as fast as anyone at the racetrack in the open and can win with or without the lead in any race.



4. La's Jaguar (Be Discrete - La's Felisha) has won 3 races in a row and has done it from the lead and from off the pace. So far he is one of two undefeated in the stakes and will try to keep the ball rolling here. This is a tougher race and he will have his work cut out for him tonight.



5. Yib Moe (J's Habanero - Jj's Barn) has closed well in both of his stakes starts and that trend should continue in this race. His biggest hurdle in this race will be the post position. He likes the rail and the 5 box is not the 1 box.



6. Leading Steps (Lonesome Cry - Tk Ashira) is a big time early speed greyhound that can go to the turn with the best of them at the racetrack. Like most, he is short at the end of the race and will be once again tonight, but he still could factor in the money at the wire.



7. Playing Amy Song (Golddust Memory - Greys Irish Song) was the quickest of them all in round 1 and just missed back to back wins in round two. She is a strong closer that will be coming on late, that is if she can overcome the post position.



8. White FIeld (Dodgem By Design - Nominator) has some late speed and come on a bit at the end of her races. Here she is in with a very tough field and will have to run a huge race to get up into the money. The 8 box could be her friend if she can break at all tonight.



This race is probably the toughest of the 4 stakes races on the card. We have 3 round winners and 5 of the 8 have yet to finish out of the money in the stakes so far. So let's go with the best raw speed greyhound, Paddy Whacker. I know the post is not perfect, but he has been running extremely well as of late and is even learning to run without the lead in the race. He won't be in front early on, but at the wire he should prove to be unstoppable. La's Jaguar has to get some consideration too as he has won 3 races in a row, including both rounds of the stakes race. He too can win with or without the lead and probably will be the favorite to win this race. If he shakes loose early, this race might be over early on. Playing Amy Song has enough late speed to take down almost anyone on the lead in this effort, but she has to get close enough early to put that speed into effect. She gets outside here which is not that bad, but she needs to break better if she wants a chance to win this effort. Smokin Scamp gets a look as he might be the best early speed greyhound to have enough left late to finish in the money. He is not quite a short as the rest of the greyhounds that might be up front early on in this effort. If he can keep the hard running going on, he might have a shot to finish further up the ladder at the wire. (3-4-7-2)



Capping off the stakes qualifying rounds, the 12th race on the card will be another highly contested event.



1. Kelsos Scallywag (Dodgem By Design - Kelsos Smallfry) has speed to burn to the turn and has come off the rest firing on all cylinders. Once again in the 1 box, she will be in front, but will she get to the wire for the victory? Maybe, maybe not!



2. Pat C Stylish (Pat C Roadster - Pat C Yosemite) has as good rush to the turn and has been performing well against fields above her pay grade so far, but both of those efforts came from her beloved 8 box. In the 2 box tonight, things might be a bit different.



3. Raiders Bart (Dodgem By Design - Raiders Azeri) has been nothing but solid over the last month of racing. He has been breaking strong and holding close or winning his starts. So far in the stakes he is up to the task and will be contending again tonight.



4. Starla Vintage (Fuzzys Cannon - Instant Vintage) is a superb closer that is running far beyond her experience at the racetrack. She can make up ground on anyone and looks to keep up the pressure in the stretch again tonight. Watch for her at the wire.



5. Mw Sekhnot (C Ya Costa Maya - Mw Steel Jaw) might have found trouble last time out, but performed well in his previous stakes effort. The 5 box will not be his friend in this effort and he will need to overcome it if he wants to be in the mix.



6. Tipsy Brutus W (Tipsy Character - Jetstar Streaker) came from nowhere to get up at the wire to win in the second round. He closed well in round 1 too, so everyone better watch out for him again at the wire tonight.



7. Hanks Reno (Maryville Rumble* - Dolly Madison) is a talented runner and can do it from the front or from behind and has enough determination to keep up the effort all the way to the finish line. So far in the stakes so far and post won't hurt this effort. If he gets loose, he could win this race.



8. Rg's Starfish (Jimbo Scotty - Tooth Fairy) has taken well to the racetrack since arriving from Tri-State and has not slowed down just because of the stake competition. She has been close in both rounds and this post might even help her out more tonight. Upset minded from the 8 box in this one.



No doubt here who is going to be in front at the start of this effort, Kelsos Scallywag. She is an early speed machine in a great post position and that alone is enough to make her the one to catch in this effort. The problem for her is that she is short in the stretch and will have a hard time keeping up the pace all the way to the finish line. If there is help behind, maybe but I doubt it. I like Hanks Reno to win. He should have enough to get close early on and enough late to get by the leader before the finish line for the win. He can clear from here, besides his last one for this post yielded an 11 length victory. Raiders Bart is the other one to watch as he has just been too darn good as of late to leave out of the conversation. He has not missed the trifecta in 5 races in a row and should continue the red hot running again in this race. If he can get clear early on, he might have a shot to take home the win too. Let's not forget about Rg's Starfish. Starfish has taken well to the racetrack and gets to start out in the post that saw him post up his last victory. He breaks well from the outside and even though it might not be enough to get him to the lead, it will be enough to get him into contention and the rest is up to the chasers tonight. (7-3-1-8)



The semi-finals of this event will take place on Monday May 31st at the Orange Park Kennel Club.