A sign of excellence - Wheeling win streaks through the years
Soul Cipher, one of Wheeling’s elite– won 12 straight in 2007.
In nearly 35 years of greyhound racing at Wheeling, there have only been 19 win streaks of 10 or more races.
They are rare, and a number of factors play roles in long winning streaks.
Local greyhound fan and historian Robin Reed, who has tracked Wheeling racing since its inception in 1976, feels a streak of 10 or more is a sign of a truly elite greyhound.
“Of all the greyhound stats, total wins, stakes wins, and so forth, I think achieving a win streak of 10 or more races is probably the most difficult due to the fact that so many obstacles need to be overcome. A lot of greyhounds are very dependent on a good post position, but a big win streak will surely contain some less than ideal holes,” Reed said. “The Grade AA fields these greyhounds face will have some top-notch opponents along the way. Weather can also be an obstacle if sloppy or muddy track conditions prevail.”
Reed is amazed anytime a greyhound goes on an extended winning streak.
“For any greyhound to be at his or her best without missing a beat for what amounts to around two months is astounding,” Reed said.
The top win streaks at Wheeling belong to Casual Casey and Steph’s Good.
CASUAL CASEY: 16 straight 5/16 wins from Sept. 10, 1994-Oct. 13, 1994 and Jan. 25, 1995-March 30, 1995; Grade AA. (Notes: Casual Casey’s win streak is still a Wheeling record. Casey had a three-month layoff during his win streak, he started 1995 with 10 wins in 10 starts).
STEPH’S GOOD: 15 straight 7/16 victories from Jan. 3, 1987-March 17, 1987; Grade AA. (Notes: Steph’s Good set the 7/16 track record in three consecutive races during her streak; Olly’s My Name ran second to Steph’s Good in 10 of her 15 wins before finally ending the streak).
Reed said winning streaks pique fan interest.
“Not only can you make money betting such a great dog, but when these streaks happen, many fans who love the pageantry of greyhound racing make sure to follow the entries daily to ensure they’re in attendance to see racing history occur,” Reed said. “In the past, especially with the streaks of Onie Reid, DD’s Nelson and Steph’s Good, just to name a few, the local papers ran many stories following these great greyhounds as their win streaks started to number six and above. Much fanfare follows such a feat.”
Following is a listing of win streaks of at least 10 in a row.
WIN AGAIN: 14 straight 5/16 wins from Dec. 13, 1999-Feb. 16, 2000; Grade AA. (Notes: Win Again started 2000 with 10 wins in 10 starts).
STAGE DOOR ACE: 13 straight 3/8 wins from Apr. 7, 1990-June 1, 1990; Grade AA. (Notes: Stage Door Ace broke the previous 3/8 consecutive win record of nine in a row held by Cool Change in 1982).
WW TIME WARP: 12 straight 5/16 wins from Feb. 17, 1999- Apr. 16, 1999; Grade AA. (Notes: WW Time Warp had 36 wins at Wheeling in 1999 which was good for runnerup in the win standings).
KIOWA SWEET TREY: 12 straight 5/16 wins from July 6, 2001- Oct. 25, 2001; Grades M, D, C, B, A, AA. (Notes: Kiowa Sweet Trey holds the current Wheeling record for most consecutive wins to start a career. Trey was inactive from Aug. 5-Sept. 25 due to traveling for a stakes event in Kansas which he ended up not entering, although he did win a schooling race there).
SOUL CIPHER: 12 straight 5/16 wins from Feb. 24, 2002-May 11, 2002; Grade AA. (Notes: Soul Cipher won the 2002 Wheeling Sprint Night of Stars for his 12th straight victory).
GABLE PIMIENTO: 12 straight 5/16 wins from Apr. 27, 2007-June 30, 2007; Grade AA. (Notes: Gable Pimiento is only one of four greyhounds to end up as Wheeling win champ in the same year they posted a win streak of 10 or more races).
DD’S NELSON: 11 straight 5/16 wins from June 6, 1986-July 26, 1986; Grade AA. (Notes: DD’s Nelson returned to Wheeling following a third in the finals of the GROC to win two races over the 3/8 course. At the time, he was credited with 13 straight Wheeling wins although his overall streak was broken while racing in New Hampshire).
B J JOACHIM: 11 straight 5/16 wins from July 14, 1989-Sept. 2, 1989; Grade AA. (Notes: B J Joachim won 14 of his first 16 races upon arriving at Wheeling Downs from the Jacksonville, Fla., racing circuit).
GREYS BEAVER: 11 straight 5/16 wins from July 24, 1992-Sept. 5, 1992; Grade AA. (Notes: Greys Beaver won the 1992 Wheeling Sprint Championship during his streak).
BEN G DESIRE: 11 straight 5/16 wins from Sept. 4, 1993-Oct. 21, 1993; Grades A, AA. (Notes: Ben G Desire had 80 career victories, seventh all-time for a Wheeling-based greyhound).
FORTIFIED RUSH: 11 straight 5/16 wins from July 14, 2001- Sept. 12, 2001; Grade AA. (Notes: Fortified Rush had a separate 12-race Wheeling win streak in 2000, but ran sixth in an invitational stakes race in Wichita, Kansas, after his seventh win to break up his overall streak).
FRIEND DELILAH: 10 straight 5/16 wins from Oct. 28, 1981-Dec. 11, 1981; Grade AA. (Notes: Friend Delilah was the first greyhound in Wheeling history to achieve 10 straight wins. Delilah’s win streak represented wins 36 through 45 of her record-setting 47 win campaign in 1981).
PECOS TRADITION: 10 straight 5/16 wins from Sept. 29, 1982-Nov. 15, 1982; Grades A, AA. (Notes: Pecos Tradition set a 5/16 track record of 30.06 in the first victory of his win streak).
ONIE REID: 10 straight 5/16 wins from Dec. 14, 1985-Jan. 29, 1986; Grades M, C, B, A, AA. (Notes: Onie Reid established the Wheeling record for most consecutive wins to start a career).
TROJAN CRUZE: 10 straight 5/16 wins from Dec. 2, 1998-Jan. 20, 1999; Grade AA. (Notes: Trojan Cruze won 20 of 25 races in his short career).
RHYTHMLESS: 10 straight 5/16 wins from Jan. 16, 2006-Mar. 5, 2006; Grade AA. (Notes: Rhythmless was scratched from what would have been his attempt at 11 straight wins on Mar. 10, 2006 and didn’t return to active racing until a month later).
KIOWA WW BROTHER: 10 straight 5/16 wins from Jan. 3, 2009- Feb. 27, 2009; Grade AA. (Notes: Kiowa WW Brother started 2009 with 10 victories in 10 starts).
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