Stickney, IL — The last of Hawthorne’s Jingle Bell series events will wrap up Saturday evening (Jan. 11) with another Steve Searle-trained trotter looking for a series sweep.
The big 4-year-old mare Lous Amazon and driver Casey Leonard brushed away the challengers in the first three legs of the Jingle Bell and no doubt will go to the post with the bulk of the public’s wagering money in the $15,000 championship feature.
The daughter of the perennial ICF trotting sire Lou’s Legacy extended her current winning streak with her trio of convincing triumphs the last few weekends for owner-breeder Flacco Family Farms.
Last week, she did it from the six-slot in an eight-horse field. Lous Amazon had to work in the early going when she and three others left for close position. The betting favorite made the front out of the first turn but Aunt Percilla (Mike Oosting), sprinting out from the outside, post took over soon thereafter.
Nevertheless, a few strides later, Hawthorne’s leading driver had Lous Amazon on the move again, clearing to the top by more than a length by the half-mile pole to secure a lead the trotting mare would not relinquish in her winning 1:59.2 mile on a 19-degree evening.
Last month, it was Lous Amazon’s stablemate Lous Miracle (Wyatt Avenatti) zipping through an Illinois-bred series in comfortable fashion for his conditioner.
While Lous Amazon has heated up has the weather got colder, her only other win in 2024 came in early October, when she drew off by four lengths over the highly regarded state-bred 3-year-olds Calypso Moon and Stand By Your Man in the second leg of the Beulah Dygert series with Leonard at her lines.
Lous Amazon will be the 8-5 first flash favorite from the four-post when she meets Hope’s Star (Wyatt Avenatti), Omaha Storm Chaser (Kyle Wilfong), Fashion Baby (Cordarius Stewart), Scorecard Lil Red (Juan Franco), Aunt Percilla (Mike Oosting), Illini Diva (Todd Warren), Ally Baba (Travis Seekman), Helpful Nonna (Marcus Miller) and Affection (Brandon Bates).
Back after a one-week absence is Hawthorne’s Open Pace with a reduced purse of $8,500. Brooklyn Bridge A (post seven), from the barn of conditioner Ronnie Roberts, will try to become the first back-to-back Open winner at the winter meet.
Roberts will send out a second Australian bred in the fifth race with Away Way Go A, an Open winner in mid-December who was handicapped with the outside eight-slot.
Kyle Wilfong will be back at the lines of Brookyln Bridge A, who sped to a 1:51.1 clocking two week ago. Kyle chose to drive Castaldo Racing Stable’s 7-year-old pacer over He’zzz A Wise Sky, who landed a rare inside start with the three-post for her new driver, Todd Warren.
The first two posts will also be manned by imports. The New Zealand-bred gelding Melton Beach N (Wyatt Avenatti), also a Roberts trainee, has the pole position, while another Aussie, Anotherstatement A drew the two with Brandon Bates. Round Here Buzz (Cordarius Stewart), Fox Valley Landed (Kyle Husted) and Play Me Rock (Juan Franco) leave from posts four, five and six, respectively.