Southland - TwinSpires' Choice Stakes

The TwinSpires People's Choice Stakes qualifiers take place in the 11th and 13th races and the people have picked some very talented greyhounds, and you can place your bets online, of course, at TwinSpires.com.

Race 11 has two dogs that are virtually tied for their performances at this level. 4-CT Heartbreaker a 59 pound female out of Lonesome Cry-Another Breeze started her career at Mardi Gras with 10 wins out of 13 races. Here at Southland, she's been consistently in AA and in the trifecta in 11 out of 19 races. She's gritty and tenacious and doesn't think she's small at all, even when she gets bumped or jammed. She loves the inside, but can handle midtrack if she has to.

5-Pirate Dragoon loves the inside and almost brushes the rail at times. She's in the trifecta half of the time, but usually to place or show. With one win out of 26 races, it's hard to recommend her as a win bet, but easy to see her figuring in exotics.

8-U Too Pure Silk is a Charter auction pup who has repaid his backers many times over. "Silky" has 23 out of 34 for the trifecta and in 22 of those races, he hit the exacta. He's a midtrack runner and has posted some very good times in recent races. If he gets the break and doesn't get blocked or bumped on the turns, he can win this one, but he's had some bad racing luck lately. I'm sure his connections are hoping that he'll get a clean trip this time out, and show what he can do.

5-CT Heartbreaker seems to be a logical choice for the win here and I'll play him over and under the 4-6-8 and throw in the 7 for the super. So my picks are the 4-6-8-7.

Race 13 has three standouts. 9-Kiowa Producer is coming off 3 straight wins and 16 out of 24 for wins this year. His times are the best of any dog in the race and he's almost always the crowd's favorite, so don't expect to get a price on him. 2-Barcelona Boss is a solid AA dog. This Surf Lorian pup is a consistent closer and runs midtrack with very good finish times. 3-Arkans TT Gator is a rail runner with a fast breaking style but with a tendency to fade to second in the stretch. Can't count him out of exotics though and he does have 8 wins out of 29 races.

8-KL's Elliott is a wide runner who always gives it a game try, and he likes the outside boxes. He's in the exotics about a third of the time but his speed figures aren't the best.

1-Manhatin is one of those win or don't come in dogs. He's a very talented young dog, but has had nothing but trouble in his last races, although he did win a AA race back in July by almost 8 lengths. He seems to do better from the outside boxes and may have trouble with the 1 box today.

7-RS Libby Choice stays in AA and hits the trifecta more than half the time. One to consider for exactas, tri's and supers. Another dog that seems to find trouble or have trouble find him in most of his races. Needs a clean trip to hit the board in this one.

4-CU Puddlejumper has a lot of trouble with the first turn. An outside box would probably work better for him and he doesn't have it here.

5-Slatex Selene is a good bet in Grade A, but probably over her head in this one, where she's the only female in the race. Maybe the boys will end up chasing her, but maybe not. I'll wait until she drops down to back her.

I agree with the morning line odds maker about the 9 and the 2,  although I'm not sure that the 9 will be on top from the 9 box, so I'm going with the 2-9-3-8. Play Exactas, Trifectas and Superfectas around those four.

Safe trips and good racing luck to all the greyhounds in this stakes series. Don't forget to watch and wager and get free programs on TwinSpires, where bonus tracks pay rewards.