Monday - 1/30/2012

Three rounds of the 2012 Orange Park Derby are in the books and only one remains and tonight's races will decide who makes it into the finals on Saturday evening. With several longshots winning last time out, the points are spread out a bit as 17 greyhounds are just a win away from the top spot in points as they head to post. Three races remain and we will take a closer look at the 7th, 9th, and 11th on the card.

The break will play a major role in who is going to win the 7th race on the card. If I had to wager, I think that Lk's Energizing will be the won in front at the get go. She has been a breaking machine as of late and has 5 wins in her last 6 starts, including 2 in the stakes. She can be caught with the late lead though, and there are a couple of greyhounds here that will have a good shot to get it done, if they come out of the box. Really Gonnarock is one of those greyhounds. She has been a threat throughout in all of her stakes rounds, but has yet to break thru with a victory. If she wants to make the finals, she will need those 16 points, and tonight could be her night to prove that she can still get it done. The other closer is Pat C Hold Out. This greyhound can come from well off the pace to get it done late too, but like Gonnarock, he is lacking a win in the rounds as well. He too needs those points and this outside post might hurt him more than it helps. If he wants to win, he must break better in this effort. Pat C Manuel is the other outside chance winner. He is not a closer, but a breaker and needs to come out firing if he wants to find a spot in the money and possibly the finals. With 2 wins in 3 rounds, he will be a threat again in this effort. (4-5-7-3)

The easiest of the 3 remaining races, race 9 features a pair of winners from round 3 in the mix, but they might both get beat by a posted up monster. Diamond Tears absolutely loves the rail and gets the reddest of post positions in this effort. So far in the stakes he has been a force, but has yet to get up in the top spot at the wire. This post will help and so will the fact that he can come from off the pace and get it done. He has good late speed and will use it to his advantage in this effort. Just look back 4 races, grade A win from this post, enough said. Breaking to the lead again could be Big Drama. Finally she has started to look like her old self again, but will need another good effort if she wants to make it into the finals. She loves this inside post and she can outbreak everyone to the rail in this effort. If she steals enough early on, she could be upset minded again tonight. Now for the big time closers in this field. Pat C Hostage is hot off a win last time out and needs room early on if he is going to be able to catch up late and challenge for the win. Points are at a premium too for him, but no one needs them more than Wannadobadthings. Things did win in round 2 from a similar post, but as always with him, the break is the most critical part. We all know he can come from well off the pace if he gets a clean trip, but if he comes out close, no one can run with him in the stretch. Far enough away from the crowd in the 7 box, he might have a shot at the win, and with all that late speed, you can never count him out of any race. (1-3-7-4)

Race 11 is the toughest of the remaining races with 5 stakes round winners, and all 8 greyhounds finishing in the money in at least 2 of the 3 rounds of the stakes. Loads of talent on tap including the point leader SNJ Black Porter, and for my money, he is still the one to beat for me. Porter has a pair of wins to start off the stakes and then backed that up with a hard trying 3rd in round number three. He has been breaking very well and has more early foot than anyone else in this field. The 5 box might be his only downfall in this effort, but if he breaks, no problems. It won't be a cakewalk though as J's Robin looks to make amends for her last trip where she finished out of the quiniela for the first time in her young career. Robin is as fast as she wants to be, but missing her break cost her dearly in round 3. Here she must come out closer to the front end early, if she wants a chance to get up late and challenge for the win. She has the speed, skills, desire, and determination to win this effort, she just needs to put it all together once again in the rebound race. Ww's Gucci got roughed up last time out, but had looked good in her previous 2 efforts in the stakes. Here she gets the bonus of the 1 box and that could go a long way in helping out her effort tonight. She has some closing speed, but runs her best when she can get out in a hurry. Trust me when I say, she is more talented than her lines show, especially from the 1 box. Everyone better keep an eye out for her in this effort. Rochelle's Vine has stepped up her game recently but it won't be enough to have a shot at the stakes, unless she gets up for the win in this effort. She has good closing speed and has looked tough from the rail posts in the recent past, the drawback here is that she is in the 4 box and will have to find a route to the rail in order to factor. She needs to break better and come out really close if she wants to factor at the finish line again tonight. (5-6-1-4)

The post positions will be drawn on Wednesday matinee and the finals will run on Saturday evening February 4th at the Orange Park Kennel Club in conjunction with our $5,000 cash giveaway and stakes race night food and drink specials.

Mark the date, come out for the finals, get some great specials, and a chance at some cash, right here at the Orange Park Kennel Club this Saturday night.