Double A Goldrush (Casey Leonard) returns to Hawthorne after more than three-year absence in Monday’s $11,500 Open Trot (Four Footed Fotos) 

By Mike Paradise for the I.H.H.A.

 The veteran Indiana bred trotter Double A Goldrush may have been an infrequent visitor to Hawthorne Racecourse through his first eight racing seasons, however when he has competed on its one mile oval, he certainly has been productive.

 Now a 10-year-old the Elegant Man gelding is making just his fourth start at Hawthorne in his very successful career in Monday’s featured $11,100 Open Trot and he came away a winner in his first three local starts.

  Casey Leonard is reunited with Double A Goldrush in the second race feature. You have to go back to July of 2020 for the last time Casey drove the winner of 41 races in 202 trips to the starting gate.

 Double A Goldrush’s first Hawthorne start came in February of 2019 when his long-time trainer Ross Leonard steered the trotter to victory. Racing tonight out of the Terry Leonard barn, Double Gold Rush won in February of 2022 with Travis Seekman at his lines.

 Double A Goldrush will leave from post three Monday night with Casey in an eight-horse field drawn by groups (1-2) (3-6) (7) for Terry, who shares ownership of the seasoned trotter with Michael and Laura Lee of Bensenville, Illinois. He’ll begin his 2023 campaign with a lifetime bankroll of $450,461, with over $400,000 of his earnings money accrued at Hoosier Park.

 The Leonard stable trotter will open as the 9-2 third choice. The ultra-consistent Jim Easton trained Perlucky (Brandon Bates) is the early 2-1 favorite.

 The Erv Miller stable’s Blue Deacon (Kyle Wilfong) is next, listed at 5-2 after a needed start at Hoosier, a little more than a week ago. The now 7-year-old Swan For All gelding is owned by Hannah Miller Bender, who along with her husband Atlee, are the managers of the Midwest Division of the always strong Erv Miller stable.

 The first two Open trot slots belong to Loulita (Travis Seekman) and Maple Grove Mangin (Kyle Husted). Kim Roth’s Rockyroad Aldo (Bobby Smolin), the third-place finisher in his last four Hawthorne Opens, will leave from the four slot.

 Illinois longtime trotting queen Annas Lucky Star (Mike Oosting) starts from post six for trainer Nelson Willis. Now 10, “Anna” is less than $15,000 shy of the $700,000 plateau in lifetime purse earnings for breeder and owner Danny Graham of Salem, Illinois.

 Bright Debut for New Barn: Trick Of The Light, nicely handled by Kyle Husted, was an easy winner in her first start for the Virgil Morgan Jr. stable, in Hawthorne’s featured $11,100 filly and mare Open Pace.

  The now five-year-old daughter of Odds On Equuleus sprinted away from the five-post in the six horse field, and Kizzzmelikeumissme (Kyle Wilfong) did the same from the pole position. Trick Of The Light cleared to the front coming out of the first turn and was racing comfortably at the 28.3 first quarter. Husted had a firm hold on the 1-2 heavy favorite through the second panel with Trick Of The Light’s expected chief threat Marvelous Marcia, winner of the last two distaff Opens at Hawthorne, sixth and last, some seven lengths off the leader.

  Trick of The Light stepped things up in the third quarter that went in 28.1 with Marvelous Marcia now on the move but the 2-1 second choice in the wagering was too far back and the winner had plenty left for the stretch drive, finishing the mile in 1:53 flat, three lengths ahead of the runner-up Kizzmelikeumissme. Marvelous Marcia was third best.

 Trick of He Light’s victory was her fourth in a row and her first for Odds On Racing of Boca Raton, Florida, who purchased the Indiana bred mare last month. It was also the winner’s initial start in Illinois.

  Driver Mike Oosting changed tactics with Round Here Buzz ($11.40) and the result was a front stepping victory in the $9,500 Open II pace for trainer and owner Perry Smith of Crete, Illinois.

 The 6-year-old Round Here Buzz usually could be found coming off the pace but instead was sent out by Oosting, getting command at the quarter pole (29.1) and going on to a one-length win over the pocket horse Hello Sweet Boy (Travis Seekman).

 The 60-1 longshot Rockin Pulse (Wyatt Avenatti) came on strong in the late going to finish third, another length behind, in the 1:53 flat mile.