Perry Smith’s Round Here Buzz goes postward in Sunday’s featured Open Pace at Hawthorne. (Four Footed Fotos 

By Mike Paradise for the I.H.H.A. 

 Anyone who is a follower of horse racing knows that all the gambling on the sport doesn’t come from the racetrack’s mutuel system. There has always been plenty of horsemen’s money changing hands through the track’s claiming box as well.

 Like any other form a of betting, sometimes they win on a claim and sometimes they lose.

 In the case of Perry Smith’s talented pacer Round Here Buzz, the long-time Midwest trainer came out a big-time winner when he took a bit of a risky move back in September of 2022, plucking the Arache Hanover gelding out of a $50,000 claiming event at Hoosier Park.

  “Round The Buzz was a four-year-old then,” said Perry. “So, I had to pay $62,500 for him because of his age allowance. And I made the claim in September that year, so it was more of a risk.  But I watched the horse overtake $40,000 and $50,000 claimers week after week. Also, he was a young horse with not that many races under his belt (42) and had a mark under 1:50 so I took a chance.”

 Over $120,000 in purse earnings later Perry is happy he did but admits: “I’ve had my share of claims that went the other way, too.

 “I have 21 horses right now and it’s been hard to get them raced in the wintertime, “said the long-time Crete, Illinois resident with two Balmoral Park training titles, and a pair at Maywood Park, on his list of accomplishments among his 1,896 winners as a trainer.

  Perry also has 700 winning drives although at the age of 72 he would be the first to admit he isn’t to add to that total. He drove on the Chicago circuit in the late 1970s and the 80’s before he pretty much became a full-time Illinois trainer.

 Round Here Buzz won his initial start of the new yar two weeks ago in an Open II event at Hawthorne and the usual late-rushing pacer surprisingly did it in the front end for driver Mike Oosting.

 The stalwart of the Perry Smith stable has his work cut out for him tonight. He’ll take on the streaking Illinois champion He’zzz A Wise Sky (Kyle Wilfong), and others, in Sunday’s co-featured $11,100 Open Pace. Round Here Buzz did draw nicely in the five-horse field with the two slot for Oosting. Stable-mate Town Gossip (Casey Leonard) has the pole position.

 The Husted stable’s Macdavid (Todd Warren) landed the three-post in Sunday’s third race and Mr Charisma, runner-up to He’zzz A Wise Sky on December 29th has the four.

 He’zzz A Wise Sky, assigned the outside five-slot, has rattled off four consecutive Hawthorne Open triumphs and no doubt will be a heavy favorite to extend his most recent winning streak. The now 7-year-old home bred was a 12-time winner in 2023 for trainer John Filomeno and Triple ZZZ Stable of Beecher, Illinois.

 For races later on the card is the $11,100 filly and mare Open Pace and a rematch between the two Indiana bred mares Trick Of The Light (Casey Leonard) and Marvelous Marshia (Todd Warren), winners of the last pair of local distaff Opens.

 Drawn by groups, She’s Magical (Mike Oosting) was allocated the pole position. Kizzzmelikeumissme (Kyle Wilfong) drew the two while Lady Angel (Kyle Wilfong) procured the three. Bombay Parkway (Casey Leonard) was assigned the four, Marvelous Marshia the five, and Trick Of The Light the outside six.