Hinsdale, IL — Perlucky, flawlessly handled by driver Kyle Wilfong, took advantage of a pocket trip and pulled off an upset in Monday’s (Feb. 12) featured $11,100 Open Trot on closing night of Hawthorne’s winter meet.

Perlucky captured the Open Trot on Hawthorne’s closing night. Four Footed Fotos.

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.

Perucky was right behind Casey’s helmet when the 2-1 co-favorite Double A Goldrush 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. 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.

It was career win No. 41 for Perlucky who has amassed lifetime earnings of $741,546 in slightly more than seven seasons of racing.

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

Unofficially, Amy Husted successfully defended her trainer title with 35 winners, one more than the Midwest Division of the Erv Miller stable. Jim Eaton and Tom Simmons had solid meetings with 30 winners each, 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.