Two kennels had multiple winners in the first round as the $100,000 Mountaineer Classic kicked off Sunday afternoon at Wheeling Island with a field of 88 sprinters. Three Jacobs Racing Kennel greyhounds – Shes Kinky, Time Killer and VIP Yankee – and a pair of Charter Kennel racers – VJ Up Too Speed and Eau Claire – captured first round victories. Other winners in the initial qualifying round were TNT Free Falling (Patriot/Taplin Kennel), L’s Luv It (Blanchard Kennel), WW West Wing (Wayne Ward Ke

Hell Bent's fast start earns spot in Wheeling history. Heading into the 2023 racing season at Wheeling Island, 29 greyhounds had climbed the ladder straight to Grade AA after winning their Maiden debut. Now there’s 30. The latest to accomplish the feat in the 47-year history of Wheeling Downs/Island is Xtrem Hess Racing Kennel’s Hell Bent. The youngster won his first Maiden race in early June before capturing Grades D, C, B and A in successive starts. An August 2021 greyhound out of Konomi-Liz C