A Ray Kennels Macs Bonita tops all qualifiers for the

Wednesday afternoon final of the $65,000 West Virginia

Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association Middle Distance
Championship at Wheeling Island.
The Tri-State Greyhound Park invader had a pair of
victories and a second in the preliminary round races to
accumulate a total of 40 points. Last year, Macs Bonita captured
the WVGOBA Sprint Championship, also at Wheeling.
Completing the middle distance championship field are
DKC Fred Flint (Wayne Ward Kennel) and Take Off Tug (Steve
Sarras Kennel), 35 points each; Alright Alvin (Steve Sarras
Kennel), 30 points; Courageouscrunch (Steve Sarras Kennel), 29
points; Coach Van Dyke (Jacobs Racing Kennel) and GLS Wild
Tyme (Jacobs Racing Kennel), 27 points each; and Ricos Manofsin
(Rico Racing Kennel), 26 points.
Following are capsule looks at the finalists by post
position:
1 Alright Alvin (Steve Sarras Kennel, trainer Scott Purdy):
had a win, second and fourth in the qualifying rounds; made the
final with a box-to-wire effort in the semifinals; expect another
fast break from the rail post.
2 Ricos Manofsin (Rico Racing Kennel, trainer Melinda
McCardle): had a win, a second and a seventh in the preliminary
rounds; boxed in a nice spot to come right out and challenge for
the early lead.
3 Courageouscrunch (Steve Sarras Kennel, trainer Scott
Purdy): had a dominating 14-length victory and a pair of thirds in
the early rounds; needs to get through the first turn clean to
display his closing speed.
4 GLS Wild Thyme (Jacobs Racing Kennel, trainer Louise
Strong): very consistent through the qualifying rounds with two
seconds and a third; will need to break sharp to have a shot at
winning the stake.
5 Coach Van Dyke (Jacobs Racing Kennel, trainer Louise
Strong): had a first, second and sixth in the early rounds; pulled a
surprise by running down Macs Bonita in the homestretch in the
semfinals.

6 DKC Fred Flint (Wayne Ward Kennel, trainer Ron Otto):

had two victories and a fourth in the preliminary rounds; has the
break and early rush to steal several lengths early and will need
to do just that.
7 Take Off Tug (Steve Sarras Kennel, trainer Scott Purdy):
had a pair of victories from the eight hole and a fourth in the
qualifying rounds; needs to be within striking distance around the
first turn, has bottom.
8 Macs Bonita (A Ray Kennel, trainer Joe Palmer): had
two victories and a second in the early rounds; has the fastest
time of all the finalists (37.37); boxed in a nice spot to drive up
into the lead early in the race.
RACE ANALYSIS: Macs Bonita was one of the favorites
going into the West Virginia-bred middle distance stake and she
lived up to that billing in the preliminary round races two wins
and a second.
Before the first round, Bonita fared well against some of
the best Grade AA 3/8 greyhounds at Wheeling and won from the
eight hole holding off Ted Cruz at the wire by a nose. This field is
not as competitive.
Bonita will have to break and should from the outside.
Shell go right to the front and will never be seriously challenged
as she wins her second straight West Virginia-bred stake final at
Wheeling.
Lets go with Macs Bonita on top with Take Off Tug getting
back for a piece of the ticket: a $1 trifecta 8-7-all and 8-all-7. On
the side, go with a $1 trifecta 8 over 1-2-3.
- Stan Pawloski
http://ngagreyhounds.com/author/stan-pawloski