COUNCIL BLUFFS, Ia. – Sitting at the halfway point in the qualifying for the $60,000 Open at Bluffs Run, four greyhounds top the points' board with a perfect total of 30 points after the Saturday, July 18, second round.
The track’s victory leader, Boc’s Hank Jr (Boeckenstedt) 27-18-2-5 won by three lengths in Saturday’s 11th race. This was the 75-pounder’s, born Feb. 5, 2013 out of Kiowa Mon Manny – Boc’s Miss Rodeo, fifth straight win and sixth out of his last seven starts (the miss was a second by a nose).
Bluffs Run Juvenile Stakes finalist Barts Bold Ruler (Bartley Corporation) 33-14-6-2 went box-to-wire to win by one and a half lengths in Saturday’s seventh race. Bold Ruler is running well of late, in his last eight outings, the 73-pounder, born May 26, 2013 out of Pacific Mile – Barts Companion, has five wins and two seconds.
The Bluffs Run patrons refuse to believe in KJ’s Jomax (Mickim) 29-6-4-7. The 80 pounder, born Oct. 31, 2012 out of KC And All – Gilded Rose, was sent off as a 27-1 longshot in the first round and won. In the second round, he was sent off as a 23-1 longshot and won by a length in Saturday’s opening race.
DS Phoenix (Bean & Stout) 15-6-0-2, a 70-pounder, born Oct. 25, 2011 out of BD’s Grayson – Ds Mariah, won Saturday’s third race by a length and a half. That gives Phoenix two straight wins after starting the Open in Grade B.
Four greyhounds are tied for fifth in points with 25, meaning they each have a win and a second in the first two rounds.
Boc’s John Luke (Boeckenstedt) 16-4-2-2, Bluffs Run’s Greyhound of the Year in 2014, was running in Grade C in May, but looks to be back to his championship form after winning Saturday’s eighth race. He went box-to-wire from the one box to win by three lengths in Saturday’s eighth race.
Boc’s Tony Romo (Boeckenstedt) 29-12-5-5 came from fifth in the homestretch to win the sixth race by a length.
The fourth Boeckenstedt Kennel greyhound in the top eight, Boc’s Mr. Gardner, 25-7-6-2, ran second, missing the winner’s circle by a neck, in the 12th race, for his 25 points.
Varoom Camren (Filipelli/Miner) 28-6-5-4 was overtaken in the homestretch and finished second by a half length in the fifth race for his 25 points.
One other second-round win of note came in the ninth race. The $60,000 Secretary’s Choice champion, Boc’s Sailfish, 26-10-4-5, won by three lengths in a day’s best time of 29.92 seconds for the 5-16 mile course.
At the other end of the points list, there was a clean cut. Greyhounds with 11 points survived to the quarterfinals while greyhounds with 10 points were eliminated.
Traditionally, a greyhound earning 40 points in the four rebounds of qualifying for a Bluffs Run stakes makes the championship field. So, doing the math, the remaining 48 greyhounds all have a chance to reach the Saturday, Aug. 1, final.
The quarterfinal races for the $60,000 Open will be run on Wednesday, July 22.
2nd round $60,000 Open at Bluffs Run by Steve Sigafoose
