by Steve Sigafoose 9/2/10

August at Bluffs Run produced three themes.

One was the same song. The second was a veteran eyeing an all-time record. The third was the debut of an eye-popping pup.

With machine-like constancy, the Plum Creek Kennel padded its lead as the top kennel with a strong month. Plum Creek sent 278 Greyhounds to the boxes in August, the most of any of the kennels at the track. The kennel saw 50 come home winners, 13 more than any rival. Plum Creek had 35 seconds and a month high 44 thirds. That helped produced $97,662.50 in earnings, more than $27,000 than any rival.

“We do the same thing every day,” said Plum Creek trainer Monte Hoopes. “We’re on a roll.”

Like a great team, depth is a key.

“Right now,” said Hoopes, “we have 15 Greyhounds in Grade A. It creates a backlog, so we have to sprint them between starts.”

Indeed, Askonce led the kennel with three wins in just four starts in August. No other Greyhound in the kennel won more than twice.

“We’re fortunate,” said Hoopes. “We get good Greyhounds and we keep them working well.”

For the year, Plum Creek has just passed 2,000 starts which have produced 286.5 victories. The kennel’s $742,581.50 in earnings is $210,972 more than any rival. The Boeckenstedt Kennel had 37 wins in August and racked up $70,268.75 in earnings.

Boc’s Tally Ho led the kennel with three wins and a pair of thirds in five starts.

Hardison picked up 36 wins with just 215 starts. Star Of Destiny led the kennel with three wins.

Earning Greyhound of the Month honors for the second straight month is the former All-America NMS Sweet Thing from the River Bluffs-Brian Smith Kennel. The veteran, who turned four years old on April 15, isn’t missing a step. He won five times in six starts. The one miss was a second by a length and a half.

The month’s effort pushed Sweet Thing’s career earnings past the $400,000 mark. With the October $500,000 Iowa Breeders Classic looming, NMS Sweet Thing is taking dead aim on Flying Stanley’s all-time earnings record of $679,361.

A pair of Sweet Thing’s kennelmates, HL’s Bruce and Lady May Uhl, were three time winners in August.

Other three-time winners were Keeper Lenox (Keeper-Red Rock), VJ Be Right Back (Seastrom-Lovely), A Star Cindy (Wilhite) and PJ’s Flyin Fluke (Petzold). Breaking on the scene with a big splash in August was San Tan Superman (Keeper-Red Rock).

The 76-pound pup, he won’t turn two until Nov. 24, caught the eye of owner Green Smith, who paid $21,000 for him at the NGA spring auction from Kenneth and Janet Allen. Superman broke his Maiden with a 3-1/2-length win in July, then ran up the ladder with four straight wins in August. He won his Grade A debut by 4 lengths.

San Tan Superman is easily the early favorite for the $60,000 Fall Futurity, which starts Sept. 15 and wraps up with the Oct. 2 final.

Also in September is the ninth round of the $60,000 Kennel Championship, which will run on Sept. 4.