This week’s featured star, Riley Jaymes of Libby Racing Kennels, has experienced a journey completing a full circle throughout his two year career at Gulf Greyhound Park. After beginning competition in March of 2010, Riley Jaymes slowly climbed the grade ladder and reached the Gulf’s top grade AA later that summer in August.
Over the remaining months of 2010, Riley Jaymes bounced back and forth between grades AA and A still searching for his first career top grade victory but managed to win in grade A on three different occasions. Finally, on December 23, the 81-pound brindle male bred from Dominator and Struttin Carly broke through and claimed a grade AA win in front running fashion.
During the first five months of 2011, Riley Jaymes was the one of the top greyhounds on the Texas Gulf Coast winning an impressive 13 top grade AA contests including two different streaks of three in a row in January and four in a row in the end of March and early April. All of a sudden, a top grade winless drought ensued for Riley Jaymes similar to the drought in the state of Texas and `the well went dry`.
Riley Jaymes managed to find the winner’s circle in grade A on July 16 but the roller coaster ride began. This journey found Riley Jaymes plunging down to grade C then another brief return to grade A only to fall again to grade C in November of 2011. With a victory on November 19 in grade C, a `rebirth` took place as Riley Jaymes started to show the form that led him to becoming one of Gulf Greyhound Park’s top athletes winning back-to-back races in grades B and A.
Upon reaching top grade AA competition again, Riley Jaymes came close with two second place finishes but eventually found the top grade winner’s circle with consecutive come from behind victories on January 19 and January 26. With a career record of 116/32-17-13-10, Riley Jaymes has established himself as one of the top 550-yard stars once again in La Marque, Texas.
Congratulations to owner Russ McElhinny, trainer Cam Hawkins and of course to Riley Jaymes for earning the Greyhound of the Week honors.
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