A record total of 22 of the top free-for-all pacers in North America have been entered for eliminations of Western Fair’s signature event, the Molson Pace, led by Bigtime Ball who will make his first lifetime appearance at the London half-miler on Friday night.
Last year’s O’Brien Award winner as Canada’s Older Pacer of the Year, Bigtime Ball comes into Friday’s eliminations at Western Fair with three wins and a second in four starts so far in 2010, all in Open paces at Woodbine Racetrack. Owned and trained by Gord Irwin of Cobourg, Ont., Bigtime Ball is a 6-year-old son of Presidential Ball who has earned $1,174,673 to date in his career.
Bigtime Ball has drawn post six the second of three $20,000(C) eliminations on Friday night at Western Fair. The top two finishers in each elimination will qualify for the $225,000 (added) final on May 28 as well as two third-place finishers drawn by lot.
The third elimination, race 10, features Foiled Again from post two. The 6-year-old Dragon Again gelding comes into the Molson Pace fresh from a victory in the $460,000 Levy final at Yonkers on May 1. He has won $1.4 million lifetime for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and JJK Stables of Pennsylvania and Florida.
The three eliminations will go postward as follows: