$20,000 Palm Beach Puppy Stakes Preview

*2015 Champion Atascocita Clo*

The Bob Balfe Puppy Stakes is always one of the best watches of the season at Palm Beach, but this year is even more so.  With arguably one of the most talented field of youngsters ever assembled, this is 3 weeks of Tourney racing that should be just awesome. The action gets started on Wednesday with the prestigious Final slated for Saturday, April 30th.

Here's our Preview for the $20,000 Spring Puppy Stakes at "The Beach."

Favorites

Blu Too Ataree ~ Blu Too Kennel

Not only is the 8 bit sensation Ataree the hottest athlete coming into this, he's in the conversation for top sprinter right now at Palm Beach.  Ripping off five straight Grade A wins right before the Tournament has the little kennel that could thinking about their first stakes championship here.

Wiki Ray Donovan  ~ Douglas Kennel

Wiki has been on our radar for a while.  Donovan started his career by destroying fields by the tune of 40+ combined lengths in his first five starts and has provided some of the most popular replays we've seen this year. One of the best lid flippers of any of these puppies.  He debuted in our Top 10 (10) just last month.

Kinda Cruel Red ~ Janie Carroll Kennel

"The Big Red Machine" out of Abilene, Kansas has been very impressive.  Scorched one of the fastest splits ever on the Royal Palm Course (29.15 secs) earlier this year and has the bloodlines from his All-American father Bella Infrared to become a Champion.

Red does prefer an inside hole and may need that draw in the Final to take home the Grand Prize.

Blu Too Tarmac  ~ Blu Too Kennel

Ataree's brother brings a wealth of Grade A experience to this field. 26 starts and nearly a 50% career winner, along with best combo game of rush and close.  "Big Mac" has been one of my favorite racers to watch all season long.

Contenders

Sentinel ~ Ryan Racing

The Southland transfer has lit the track up already, with 6 wins in 10 starts and an 80% board hitter.

JJ's Raffle Girl ~ Rader Racing

Rader Racing will be going for their third straight Puppy Title after winning the Futurity with Kay Beowulf and the Labor Day Tourney with PJ St Pierre. 

SE's Cool Kate  ~ Rader Racing

Had multiple Grade A wins in the month of March.

Mohican Joe Boy ~ Ryan Racing

United Greyhound Racing co-founder Eric Koltz will be rooting on his hot prospect to pull the stunner.

Wiki White Flash ~ Douglas Kennel

Ray Donovan's sister just moved into Grade A and could pull a few surprises in the next three weeks.

Best Longshots

Kiowa Business ~ Douglas Kennel

 Janice Dean ~ Brindle Kennel

JS Bizzy B ~ Koppe, Staats & Collins Kennel

Kiowa Blossom ~ Douglas Kennel

TK Armani  ~ Rader Racing

Go Bon Rivercity  ~ Royal Racing

Predictions

Here's my pick to win it all and predictions from some of the top greyhound people in the country.

Palm Beach Jason

Kinda Cruel Red is one of the most dynamite puppies I've ever seen at Palm Beach.  Even though Ataree is the hottest greyhound coming in, I think Red finds a way to pull this off.

Mike Jameson - Palm Beach Track Announcer

"My choice is Blu Too Tarmac!  The Mac Attack is going to lay the smack down on the competition."

Randy Birch - International Host of BigJackpotBetting.com

" Wiki Ray Donovan will have the rush to crush and has the guts of a burglar.  All the way with Ray."

Mike Balsamo - Host of The Backstretch Show on 95.9 The Palm

"I like the favorites but I going to go with my man Henry Chin Sentinel.  Secondary pick: SE's Cool Kate. Gotta have a Rader dog right?"

Jeff Prince - Palm Beach Track Handicapper

"Blu Too Ataree."

George Quinn - GreyhoundNews.co

"Tough to pick just one in this field, but I like Blu Too Ataree."

Bennie The Boot- Co-Host of The Backstretch Show on 95.9 The Palm

"Frankie Vallie. Any dog that can fall in the stretch and come back to win in 29 secs has my vote."

Good luck to all athletes and owners in this Tourney.  I can't wait to see how this all shakes out.  Enjoy all of the heart pounding Stakes races fans!