.The Jim Eaton stable’s Perlucky (No. 3, Kyle Wilfong) captured the featured Open Trot on Hawthorne’s closing night (Four Footed Fotos)

By Mike Paradise for the IHHA 

 Perlucky, flawlessly handled by driver Kyle Wilfong, took advantage of a pocket trip, and pulled off an upset in Monday’s featured $11,100 Open Trot on closing night of Hawthorne’s winter.

 Fourth choice in the five-horse field at 9-2 odds, Wilfong, just as he did a week ago, sent Perlucky away for the early lead and again gave it up to Double A Goldrush (Casey Leonard) but this time the Leonard stable’s veteran trotter had to be used a little harder to make the front, arriving there in 28.3.

 Perucky was right behind Casey’s helmet when the 2-1 co-favorite Double A Goldrush, owned by Robert Silberberg of Farmington Hills, Michigan, went  to a 57.2 first half, one second faster than the previous Monday trot and the three-quarter time of 1:26.4 was also a tick quicker.

 Dash Of Luck (Brandon Bates) was full of trot and was gaining on the winner but the Jim Eaton trained 9-year-old Lucky Chucky gelding wasn’t going to be denied, notching his fourth Open Trot victory of the meet by a little less than one length. It was career win No. 41 for Perlucky who has amassed lifetime earnings of $741,546 in slightly more than seven seasons of racing.

 Dash Of Luck was a nose better than Double A Goldrush for second place honors. Loulita (Mike Oosting) took fourth and the other 2-1 co-favorite Bluebird Deacon was fifth, beaten less than three lengths.

  Casey Leonard reclaimed the Hawthorne driver crown by a large margin. Casey has three more winners Monday night to give him 99 for the meeting. Brandon Bates was next with 76, then came Travis Seekman with 69.

 Amy Husted successfully defended her trainer title with 36 winners, two more than the Midwest Division of the Erv Miller stable.  Tom Simmons and Jim Eaton had solid meetings, with 31 and 30 winners, respectively. followed by Steve Searle with 28 and Terry Leonard with 27.

 Harness racing won’t return to Hawthorne until mid-October. The non-wagering meeting at Springfield starts up in June, with racing days and dates to be announced by the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

 Mike Paradise stories will resume on Tuesday, February 20th and will continue every Tuesday thereafter until Springfield begins, when his Illinois harness racing coverage will be expanded.