He’s relentless.

Just like his daddy, Iruska All Star, Ryan Farms Kennel’s Unclouded never gives up.

The numbers paint the picture.

In 138 starts, All Star had 60 wins, 34 seconds, 15 thirds and 14 fourths – an 89 percent mark on the pay sheet.

Although Unclouded has had only 21 career trips at Wheeling Island, he has 5 wins, 5 seconds, 3 thirds and 6 fourths – a 90 percent mark on the pay sheet. He has not missed the ticket in four Grade AA outings.

“Unclouded is always coming at them. He doesn’t give up,” Ryan Farms Kennel trainer Terry Green said. “He has lots of guts, lots of go get it. You can never count him out.”

Green found out recently how determined Unclouded – a July 2006 greyhound out of Iruska All Star-Neat Style – can be once he sets foot on the Wheeling racetrack.

Breaking from the three hole in a Grade AA feature race, Unclouded was shut off going to the first turn and moved to the outside as he dropped back to last heading down the backside. Still seventh coming home, Unclouded launched an explosive stretch kick to finish fourth.

“He was so far out of it heading down the backstretch I thought he was out of the race,” Green said. “He shocked me by hitting the pay sheet.”

Green said Unclouded “doesn’t have any box speed” and has a tendency to go wide around the first turn. “I think an outside post would probably be better for him.”

Drawing the six hole in his next Grade AA trip, Unclouded rushed up into the race early on the outside. After a bump around the first turn, Unclouded hit the backstretch fifth.

Unclouded quickly moved into third down the backside and with a powerful rush home got up the second.

“If he didn’t get bumped, he may have won his first Grade AA race,” Green said. “The power is there, just not the finesse yet.”

Unclouded broke in at Wheeling in March, gradually moving up the ladder to Grade AA by mid-July. He had five Maiden starts, three in Grade D, two in Grade C, three in Grade B and four in Grade A.

“I think it’s better for a dog in the long run to take time moving up the ladder. It gives the dog experience and more time to mature,” Green said. “Some dogs move up fast and when they reach Grade AA it’s tough. Unclouded has never dropped back down in class.”

The youngster has several huge victories on his resume – Maiden by 10 lengths, Grade D by 8 lengths and Grade C by 6 lengths. In each race, Unclouded was either first or second at the first turn.

“Once Unclouded reached the higher grades and faced faster dogs, he started falling farther and farther behind going to the first turn,” Green noted.

Unclouded has posted a number of other exciting come-from-behind efforts. In Grade D, he was fifth around the first turn and finished second; in Grade B, he won after being fourth heading down the backside; and in two Grade A races, he came from eighth coming home to get fourth and drove from sixth around the first turn to finish second.

“When he gets rolling, he comes flying on the outside,” Green said.

Unclouded may eventually be switched to 3/8.

“I feel confident he can go the longer distance, but I don’t want to move him too quick,” Green added.

Two littermates – Highway Junkie (Grade A) and Unruly Soul (Grade C) – also are racing at Wheeling.

“Highway Junkie has about the same amount of speed as Unclouded, but he’s not as strong and not as mature. He’s still trying to figure it out,” Green said. “I like him on the inside because he holds the turns better.”

In 19 starts, Highway Junkie has 3 wins, 3 seconds, 3 thirds and 3 fourths.

Green recently moved Unruly Soul to 3/8.

“Unruly Soul beat his brothers in three-dog races in the morning, but so far he’s run very green,” Green said. “I think if he gets loose, he has the potential to be an upper class 3/8 dog.”

In 17 starts, Unruly Soul has 1 win, 2 seconds and 4 fourths.

Green also is high on a number of other young pups in the kennel, including Colleen Doran, Mekong Delta, Garros, Abner, Morgan Creek and DE’s Whiskeybent.

Littermates Mekong Delta (20-3-2-3-4) and Colleen Doran (10-1-2-3-0) have both displayed closing power in their young careers. They are July 2006 greyhounds out of Cayman Went-Clair Dolan.

“Eventually they both could go distance. They were bred for distance,” Green said. “The longer the race the better.”

Clair Dolan was one of the track’s all-time marathon greyhounds and the win leader in 2002 with 27 victories.

Littermates Abner and Garros, November 2006 greyhounds out of Lonesome Cry-Solwest, have displayed plenty of front speed. Abner has two wins and two seconds in four outings while Garros has a win, second and third in his three races.

“While most Ryan Farms dogs are closers, these two pack a lot of early speed. It’s a nice change for us,” Green related. “Both of them have the speed to make it at Wheeling.”

DE’s Whiskeybent, an October 2006 greyhound out of Gable Dodge-Euphrates, and Morgan Creek, a September 2006 greyhound out of Oshkosh Slammer-Akoya Pearl, have both broken their Maiden.

Whiskeybent smoked a 29.96 in winning by 7 1/2 lengths while Morgan Creek posted a 4 1/2-length victory.

IN THE HOMESTRETCH:

LONGSHOT: Mike Fynmore Kennel’s Cmon Err Not shocked a Grade D field on Wednesday afternoon by going box-to-wire and returning $323.80 on a $2 win ticket.

HOT DOGS: Wayne Ward Kennel’s JG’s Korean War has won four out of her last five races (A, AA) for trainer Ron Otto. Kennel-mate Kiowa WW Brother has two straight Grade AA wins.

Lester Raines Kennel’s USS Race By has won three out of her last four Grade AA starts for trainer Joel Roden. Kennel-mate MRL Bodacious has captured three out of his last four trips (M, C, B).

Darren Henry Kennel’s Brandy Of Ruckus has won three out of her last four outings (B, A, AA) for trainer Donna Wilcox.

Flying Eagles-Miner Kennel’s Flying Fabian has won four out of his last five Grade AA starts for trainer Ricardo Pacheco. Kennel-mate CTW Trail Blazer has three wins in a row (M, C, B).

Mike Fynmore Kennel’s Magic Penny Ante (AA 3/8) and PTL Faith (B, A 7/16) have back-to-back victories for trainer Chris Burgess.

Arivada-Plum Creek Kennel’s Creedence has two wins, a second and a third in his last four Grade AA 3/8 starts for trainer Joe Otto.

Green-Maupin Kennel’s Black Yacker has won three out of his last four trips (C, B, A) for trainer James Grace.

C And C Kennel’s Trent Power has two straight wins (A, AA) for trainer Patrick Bever. Kennel-mate SE’s Revenge has two wins and a second in her last three outings.

Wayne Strong Kennel’s Kansas Buzzer has back-to-back victories (A, AA) for trainer Dinna Otto.

Gable Kennel’s Cry Audrey has three wins and two seconds in her last six starts for trainer Wayne Piquette.

Steubenville Kennel’s Hallo Big Pamer has two straight victories (B, A) for trainer Debbie Schweizer.

Thorne-Abrahamson Kennel’s Qwayzic has two wins and a second in his last three starts for trainer Tom Engle.

Ryan Farms Kennel’s Thor’s Hammer has back-to-back wins (C, B) for trainer Terry Green.

Pawloski can be reached at sjpawloski@yahoo.com