by Steve Sigafoose 5/8/13

SH Avatar finished 2012 as Bluffs Run’s Greyhound of the Year. The Hardison Kennel greyhound is not missing a beat as 2013 unfolds.

The 71 pounder, born May 13, 2010 out of Kiowa Mon Manny-Tom S Caterwaul, has been on the leaderboard in three of the first four months of the new year. He tops the April charts with a 4-3-0-1 record, winning the three races by an average of over six lengths. The third-place finish came after he rallied from breaking last and suffering early trouble.



SH Avatar started April by winning the $60,000 Team Survivor title. At 21-13-2-4, Avatar is the track leader in victories and his $69,019 is tops in earnings.

Matching SH Avatar in April was L’s Welborn with a 4-3-0-1 record. The 78 pounder, born Sept. 18, 2011 out of Super Lee-Fast Frieda, races for the Boeckenstedt Kennel.

Plum Creek took kennel honors in April, producing 44 wins in 244 starts. Plum Creek was the only kennel to crack the six-figure barrier in the month with $111,163 in earnings. That kept Plum Creek on top for 2013 with 162 wins and $453,506 in earnings.

Vision Revision, 5-3-0-0, led Plum Creek. The 72 pounder, born Oct. 31, 2010 out of Deerfield Mover-Accomplished, got his wins in the qualifying rounds of the $60,000 3-8 Mile Derby, where he was the runner-up in the championship race.

Keeper-Red Rock was second with 36 wins. Topline Drive, a pup still short of his second birthday, led the kennel with a 4-3-0-0 record in April.

Black Kennel had 34 wins in April. Another pup, Go Lucky Diesel, led the kennel with a 5-3-0-0 record. Diesel won’t turn two years old until Aug. 4.

SH Avatar helped the Hardison Kennel stay second in the standings for the year.

Hardison has 150.5 wins (29 in April) and its 48 April seconds helped the kennel finish second for the month in earnings with $75,669.

Other top greyhounds in April were Sweet Finish (Petzold) 5-3-2-0; Allie Uhl (River Bluffs) 5-3-0-1, who turned two years old on May 3 and Pj Junkindatrunk (Bartley Corporation) 5-3-0-0.

May started quickly with Killer Dare (Harlan Brothers) winning the $60,000 3-8 Mile Derby title on the fourth. The rest of the month is quiet. The next stakes belongs to the pups with the $60,000 Juvenile, slated for 96 greyhounds, scheduled to start Wednesday, June 5.