Hinsdale, IL — When a horse racing secretary takes a look at the entries for a particular program, it’s sort of like partaking in a Christmas grab bag undertaking — you just don’t know what you’re going to end up with.

Hawthorne’s Race Secretary Robin Schadt had to be stunned by the sheer volume submitted for an early winter card. The number that arrived for this Saturday’s program turned out to be a lot more than anyone expected.

Over 170 horses were entered, and the vast majority will get to compete Saturday night (Dec. 23) because the program has been expanded to a king-size 15-race extravaganza. As they say, the more the merrier, especially at Christmas time.

An uncommon Saturday program came about when the Christmas holidays fell on Sunday and Monday this year. With no racing on those days, a single pre-holiday Saturday program was carded instead. Eleven of the 15 races are nine or 10 horse fields, which should delight the gimmick players.

While there are no Opens on the card (none were written on the Hawthorne condition sheet), there still are many top-notch horses going to the gate.

For example, the sixth race for non-winners of $5,001 (ICF $6,250) in their last four starts lured two talented pacers from the Perry Smith stable — Play Me Rock (Travis Seekman) and stablemate Round Here Buzz (Mike Oosting). They’ll start side-by-side with posts four and five, respectively.

Play Me Rock was a three-time Hawthorne Open winner earlier in the meeting while Round Here Buzz was holding his own in $100,000 claiming events at Hoosier Park. Both have lifetime marks under 1:50 and interestingly, the same TrackMaster rating of 90.41.

Three-time Illinois Horse of the Year Fox Valley Gemini (Casey Leonard) returns to the races after more than a month off to take on the Perry Smith duo. Fox Valley Crete (Juan Franco), Marshall Malone (Wyatt Avenatti), Sweet Truth (Kyle Wilfong), Copper Teen (Bobby Smolin), Tookadiveoffdipper (Todd Warren), Star Commander N (Matt Avenatti) and Fox Valley Cayman (Brandon Bates) complete the solid field.

The eighth race for fillies and mares with the non-winners of $4,001 (ICF $5,000) last four conditions will possess six of its nine starters from this season’s Hawthorne Opens as its participants. They are Kizzmelikeumissme (Kyle Wilfong), Martha Max (Todd Warren), She’s Magical (Mike Oosting), Dandy’s MNM (Bobby Smolin), JD’s Queen Lori (Brandon Bates) and Bombay Parkway (Casey Leonard).

Ideal’s Nicole (Phil Knox), Roan B Design (Travis Seekman) and Lorraine Smoke (Kyle Husted) are the other aspirants in the race.

Tough Post to Buck: Eight races on the card carry 10-horse fields. Thus far of the 86 starters from Hawthorne’s 10-hole, only three have crossed the finish line first, a meager 3.5 winning percentage.

Looking Ahead: Next week’s racing schedule will have a card on Friday (Dec. 29) to make up for the lost program on this week’s Christmas schedule. Hawthorne will also race on Sunday (Dec. 31) and Monday (Jan. 1).

Entries for the Friday and Sunday programs close Tuesday (Dec. 26). Entries for the Monday card close on Thursday (Dec. 28).