By Mike Paradise for the IHHA 

  Bluebird Deacon shrugged off a three-week layoff and rallied strong in the stretch to nail down his second consecutive Open Trot victory at Hawthorne.

 Driver Atlee Bender said earlier that Bluebird Deacon is best coming from out of it and the seven-year-old Swan For All gelding proved his the 31-year-old reinsman was right, coming from fifth and last in the final quarter of mile to eke out a head triumph at the end of a 1:57 flat mile.

 Double A Goldrush came up with a strong effort for driver Casey Leonard to be second best, nailed just before the finish wire after a two-hole journey behind the front-stepping Perlucky (Kyle Wilfong).

 Bluebird Deacon used the same winning tactic back on January 8th however he had to wait until the end of the month before going postward again after perilous weather conditions cancelled the scheduled Open Trot the past two weeks.

 As anticipated, Atlee took Bluebird Deacon back at the start from his assigned five-slot. Leonard asked Double A Goldrush to zip out from the three-post and the 10-year-old Elegant Man trotter did, grabbing a quick read and keeping Perlucky parked though almost all of the first quarter, timed in 29.2.

 Perlucky then took over command and sped things up a bit, getting to the half in 57.4 and the three-quarters in 1:26.2. Casey patiently waited until mid-stretch before asking Double A Goldrush to make his move, and his trotter powered by. The Terry Leonard trainee looked to be in good shape with an eighth of a mile to go.

 On the other hand, Bluebird Deacon had a ton of trot left, and used it in the late going to gain the photo decision to gain the victory for his owner Hannah Miller Bender of Noblesville, Indiana.

 Dash of Luck (Brandon Bates) finished third, beaten less than two lengths.

 Bluebird Deacon’s win was his 16th in 88 career starts and the $5,550 winner’s share of the $11,100 pot put him less than $300 short of the $300,000 plateau in lifetime purse earnings.