The Nelson Willis stable’s Annas Lucky Star (Mike Oosting) shows her winning form in Monday’s Open II trot at Hawthorne, (Four Foot Fotos) 

By Mike Paradise for the IHHA 

  Illinois long-time trotting queen Annas Lucky Star may be nearing the end of her 9-year-old season as a racehorse, but the pride of the Nelson Willis stable still knows how to win races.

 The even-money favorite came on with a rush in the stretch to comfortably capture her second straight Hawthorne victory in the $8,500 Open II trot with Mike Oosting in the bike. It was the seventh win of the year for Annas Lucky Star, the 63rd in her brilliant career, as she continues to close in on $700,000 in lifetime earnings. She’s a little more than $15,000 short.

 Despite leaving from the pole position, Oosting was satisfied to let the 10-1 longshot Rockyroad Aldo (Bobby Smolin) shoot out to the lead and tucked his Cassis mare into third in the early going. Rockyroad Aldo only needed a 30.2 first quarter to be maintain command before then sped things up a bit, covering the second quarter in 28.2.

 Calderone (Kyle Wilfong) came from sixth to challenge the leader at the half and it appeared that Annas Lucky Star could be bottled-up inside, however the pocket horse Never Mind (Todd Warren) made a break and even though the winner was third, about four lengths from Rockyroad Aldo, Oosting had a clear shot at the leader heading into the stretch drive.

 Annas Lucky Star used an inside path to zip to the front and pulled away, winning under a hold by three lengths over a fast-closing Lousdobb (Travis Seekman) at the end of the 1:56 flat mile. Dash Of Luck (Brandon Bates) rallied for third.

 Annas Lucky Star is owned by her breeder Danny Graham of Salem, Illinois.

  Marvelous Debut: The $11,1000 Open for filly and mare pacers followed and the 4-5 favorite Marvelous Marsha (Todd Warren) left no doubt she was the best Monday night, prevailing rather handily in 1:53.1 in her debut for the Jim Eaton Stable.

 The Hoosier Park invader was assigned to the outside seven slot but that didn’t affect the four-year-old Indiana bred mare.

 She’s Magical (Travis Seekman) seized the early lead (28.4) and on the backside Fox Valley Kia (Phil Knox) made a bold move, coming out of the four-hole, to attempt to grab the lead, however the 3-year-old ICF filly couldn’t clear. Todd Warren smartly hustled Marvelous Marsha from fifth to be second over at the 56.3 half-mile pole.

 When the field turned for home, Warren had Marvelous Marsha perfectly situated for the stretch drive. The Always A Virgin mare zipped past for a three-quarter length victory, her third in 10 season starts for owners William O. De Long (Clinton, Wisconsin) and Williams P. De Long (South Beloit, Illinois).

 Bombay Parkway (Casey Leonard) came on strong for second place and Brooke’ Ocean (Brandon Bates) also rallied nicely for third.