Semi-Finals of the Jacksonville Juvenile

Monday - 12/6/2010

And now it gets INTERESTING! The semi-finals of the 2010 Jacksonville Juvenile are upon us and all the puppies are ready to go. All 24 of the greyhounds remaining will be vying for a spot in the final 8 positions on Saturday Evening at the Orange Park Kennel Club.
Don't forget that along with the stakes final, we will run our holiday promotion and be giving away thousands in cash and prizes, and a flat screen TV.
So grab some friends, and make some plans, to be here with us on Saturday Evening at the Orange Park Kennel Club.

Now back to the semi-finals and the first of three races on the card for Monday evening heads our way in the 7th.
1. Craigie Ironlad (Kiowa Sweet Trey - Greys Starwishes) loves the rail and gets it here in the 1 box. He has great closing speed and will need it here tonight. Let's see if he can rebound in this effort.
2. Kb's Iron Mike (Lonesome Cry - Kb's Mossy Tek) is a solid chaser that gets another good post to break from. With a bit of close in his step, he needs find his break if he wants a shot at the finals.
3. Touch My Hand (Coldwater Kellin - Midnight Venture) has been a threat throughout in the rounds and the pace keeps up tonight. From another almost midtrack post, expect a quality effort here.
4. Playboy Joe (Joe Hearns - Too Late) has shown some good early speed as of late and if he can get out again he might have a longshot at the win here. He is short though, so he will need some help behind.
5. Scottish Dreamer (Droppys Vieri - Crystal Chrysler) has really stepped up her game at the right time. She has been breaking & running really tough. No matter the post, she will factor again in this one.
6. General Sherm (Deerfield Site* - Mystic Opal) is a big strong closer that needs to make up for the one race that he missed the money. He has enough late to get it done before the wire, but needs to break close in order to have a shot.
7. Gs Quasimoto (Afleet Alex - Gm's Peachykeen) is better than his lines show and sitting in the box the last couple of starts have done him no favors. If he can get around early, he will be a threat at the finish.

8. Hs Butane (Ben Awhile - Flying Santan) has all the tools to win this race, he just needs to step up and use them. Away from the crowd, he should be clear early, if he finds his break, he has a chance to win.
Before the stakes rounds Hs Butane was on a tear with 6 efforts in a row in the quiniela, In a couple of the stakes efforts he has not broke from the box well and it has cost him dearly. His only hope to make the finals is to come out running in this effort. From a post where he should get a good look and a clean trip to the turn, he has all the stuff going in his favor. All he has to do is break, and he has a good shot to win this race. Scottish Dreamer has been firing on all cylinders right now and the car is not going to turn off before the finish line tonight. Who cares about the post, Not him. As long as he continues to come out quickly at the start of the race and rush to the turn like he has been, he should be able to keep the drive alive and challenge the leaders throughout. Touch My Hand is well overdue for a big effort. Ok, so it's not like he has been slacking, but he just have not been winning races. He has been oh so close in each and every start and if he wants a chance here, he needs to find his break and the front end at the start of this race. Kb's Iron Mike is better than his lines show. I know he has been a factor in almost all of his efforts, but previous to the lines showing, he was breaking well and winning races. He has his hands full once again in this effort, but from a great starting box, he could find some of that old magic tonight. (8-5-3-2)

The second race in the stakes takes place in the first half of the forced out twin-trifecta, the 10th on the card.
1. Miami On Fire (San Tan Riffraff - Gottagetitdone) is living up to his name so far in the stakes. Granted he missed in round one, but with back to back wins, he is on a roll and posted up. Look out for him here.

2. Gm's Giovanni (Oya Tom Terrific - Gs Flame) is out to prove a point in the stakes with a win and 3 quality efforts. He has a good rush and can hang with anyone late. From an inside post, he needs to break.
3. Ethel's Pick (Flying Penske - M's Elizabeth) has flashed some good closing speed in the last couple of starts, but if she gets too far behind too early on, she is up a creek without a paddle. Posted well, she needs a big early effort.
4. Really Xtreme (Afleet Alex - Xtreme Hustler) is clearly the one to beat in the stakes. He is frankly just better than the rest of the field and has proved it with back to back wins. His only obstacle tonight, the 4 box.
5. Z Sevinteawon (Mulberry Gus - Greys Red Ribbon) can close a bit at the end of the race, but draws his third midtrack post in a row. Here he needs to break better, or he could be in a world of hurt at the 1st turn.
6. Cheyenne Rascal (Kiowa Mon Manny - Payday Robin) had been breaking well, until his last effort, in the stakes and was a factor throughout in those efforts. Here he needs to rebound in a big way to factor.
7. My Choice (Lonesome Cry - Nauset Lass) has been a force from the inside, but tonight she will have to try and get it done from the outside. Not the same runner if she is not close to the early lead, so a good start would go a long way to help her out in this effort.
8. Gs Tee Up (Afleet Alex - Gm's Peachykeen) has been a closing force in all of the efforts he has ran in the stakes rounds. Tonight he needs his best trip, and might just get it from this post. He needs a win!
No tough call in this race, just keep riding the horse and take home the easy cashing ticket. Really Xtreme is just that good! This greyhound is head and shoulders above the rest and when he clears early on, the race is over. His only hurdle in this effort will be the post position. He does get xtra room with the empty box next to him though, so I think he will do what he needs to get it done. Miami On Fire has really found in again in his last couple of races with back to back winning efforts. What is more impressive is that he just keeps on coming no matter what and has shown poise far beyond his starts. He will need to get outside from the 1 box in this effort though if he wants to be effective. Gs Tee Up has the post, experience, and determination to do well in this effort, he just needs to be a bit closer at the start of the race. Closing is his best attribute, and he will be making up ground once again in this effort. He needs to put it all on the line tonight, as he will need all the points he can muster if he wants an outside shot at making the finals. Gm's Giovanni has run the best of his career so far in the stakes rounds. He has really been coming out close and has been running tough in each and every effort. Now to a rail post position, this could throw a monkey wrench in the whole works. If he wants a chance to factor tonight, he needs to be close early on. (4-1-8-2)

The final stakes race on the card runs in the 11th race for Monday evening at the Orange Park Kennel Club.
1. May's Flora (Can You Hear Me - Kb's Mayflower) is the best early speed greyhound in this race and starts off in her best box once again. I know no one beats her to the lead here, but to the finish line is a different story. Can she steal enough to upset? Maybe, just maybe.
2. Gs Prada (Get Over - Nicole's Andrea) runs tough when she is close to the early lead in any race and needs to be there here in order to contend. She likes the rail and that might be the boost she needs in this effort.
3. Kelsos Spiffy (Kelsos Fusileer - Kelsos Gabriella) is running as hot as anyone right now at the Orange Park Kennel Club. Two in a row and three in four starts, she is on fire. From the lead or from off the pace, she is a threat to win again here.
4. Hs Babe (Flying Stanley - Kiowa Brownsugar) pulled off a big win in round one but since?? Breaking fast is the key to her success and she sat in the box in back to back efforts. Tonight, she needs to hit the lid again.
5. Hanks All Smiles (Deco Deano - Zam Turbo Blitz) might not be winning in the stakes, but this puppy is trying the best that she can. She has been closing throughout and has not missed the money yet. In tough here, she needs to keep it up.
6. Wkl Marly Carly (Kiowa Sweet Trey - Wkl Whitefeather) is only in contention on the lead, without it she is lost. So a huge break is needed again in this effort, or she will have no chance to contend.
7. Kiowa Sue Manny (Kiowa Mon Manny - Kiowa Sweet Sue) has started to wake up and gets a great outside post to start this race from. All she has to do is clear close and she will be in the thick of things at the finish line.
8. Kiowa Mc Gee (Kiowa Sweet Trey - Kiowa Wild Color) has all the tools to win this race, he just has to want to use them. With a win and a second in three efforts, he's in the mix. He needs another big trip to make it to the finals.
Tough to pick against a back to back winner, so I won't! Kelsos Spiffy has been getting close early and terrorizing fields in the stretch. She is as fast as she wants to be and always keeps on moving forward in each and every effort. She has blazing speed and draws another good starting box tonight. All she has to do is be close early on, and this race will be hers too loose. May's Flora will be the greyhound to catch in this effort. She has all the early speed in the world and is starting to figure it all out once again. She loves the rail and gets to start from her best box in her second race in a row. She should outrun everyone to the front, but holding on for this short greyhound could become an issue for her. If she gets some help behind her, she might have a chance to win this effort. Kiowa Sue Manny is coming off a monster win in her last effort and gets another good outside post to start off this race from. She has a good rush to the turn and enough closing speed to be dangerous in the stretch. The post is what makes her a threat tonight. If she gets out, she could be smelling an upset. Hs Babe has the biggest upside of any greyhound in this field, but she has to want it in this effort. No one right around her can break as well as she can when she wants to, and late she can hold her own and is not really all that short. If she could stalk the pace throughout tonight, she could have a chance to be a longshot winner. (3-1-7-4)