Jiminy Reno & BGR Monster

Derby Lane sprinter Jiminy Reno and all around distance star, BGR Monster have captured the NGA’s annual Awards; In a tight race, Jiminy Reno out nosed FGF Chisum for the Rural Rube while BGR Monster easily outpaced Cool It Now for the Flashy Sir in this year’s voting.

Voting was tight in the Rural Rube contest. In a very competitive race, three greyhounds received double digit votes. In the end Jiminy Reno won out over FGF Chisum and Konomi. 10 other greyhounds each received at least one vote in the balloting.

Owned by James Morgan and Kathleen Hastings of Colorado and raced by the Cal Holland Kennel, Reno picked up a couple of stake wins, was named Captain of the All American Team and captured the National Win Title to put a stamp on an outstanding 2018.

Not yet three years old, this fine greyhound out of Alivefortomorrow-Oceania started out the year a bit slow, actually dropping into grade B twice before settling in around mid-March. From there he took off and would never look back. He rattled of win streaks of 6, 12, 4 and 7 at various points throughout the year. The 12 race streak included a win in the Remembrance Stake on May 28.

In September he would win two rounds of qualifying on his way to a victory in the finals of the $50,000 Husker Magic Stake, winning by an easy four lengths. That win would put him over the $50,000 mark in career earnings.

As part of a seven race win streak would also capture the Howl-O-Ween Stake. The last win in that seven race streak turned out to be his last of the year, even though he would finish in the money six more times before a minor injury sidelined him in mid-December. He would, however, be invited to, and participate in, the Naples 550 in January as one of the nation's best sprinters.

He finished the 2018 campaign with a record of 77-45-10-6-0 for a win rate of 58% as well finishing in the money nearly 80% of the time. His 45 wins were tops in the country for all individual greyhounds in 2018. Congratulations to all the connections of Jiminy Reno!

Voting wasn't as close in the Flashy Sir contest as BGR Monster won going away as the nation's best distance greyhound. The Monster more than tripled the votes received by second place finisher, Cool It Now.

BGR Monster is a black son of Boc's Tony Romo-Boc's Jennyfinch and is owned by Brad Boeckenstedt. He broke in at Naples late in 2017 and after winning his maiden and D races, struggled a little bit in sprint races. After just eight official starts he was switched over to the longer 3/8ths distance and never looked back. Just 10 starts later he was entered into qualifying for the $40,000 Naples Derby. Winning 3 of 4 qualifying rounds he would enter the finals as the third favorite and cruise to a two length win in the championship.

After the Derby win, Boeckenstedt packed him off to Southland to compete in the Great American Greyhound Futurity. He picked up four wins, a third and a fourth in qualifying to make the final field of eight. Drawing the dreaded eight hole in the final, he encountered trouble at the turn and finished fifth in the championship, won by Fiesta Mountain.

Immediately after the Futurity he switched over to the tough 703 yard course at Southland and picked up right where he had left off at Naples earlier in the year, picking up win after win leading up to the $125,000 Marathon Stakes in October. He would win three of four qualifying rounds (one by 11 lengths) and finish 2nd in the other. As the even money favorite he ran into early trouble and finished fifth to eventual champion, American Airdine.

The Monster would finish his year at Southland with 28 wins, tops among all Southland competitors. His complete record at Southland was 49-28-9-5-1, against the best competition in the country. He finished 2018 with an overall mark of 66-34-13-8-4.

Congratulations to Brad Boeckenstedt and all those associated with BGR Monster!

 The 48th Annual NGA Rural Rube and Flashy Sir awards will be presented at the awards ceremonies program at the Greyhound Hall of Fame on Thursday night, Apr. 18, during the NGA Spring Meet.