Willowdale Series opens

I Zee and Blue Burner posted 1:53.2 and 1:52.3 wins, respectively, in opening round splits of the Willowdale Pacing Series for 4 year olds Saturday night at Woodbine.



I Zee went wire to wire for driver Rick Zeron, cutting fractions of :27.4, :57.1 and 1:23.3 en route to a 2 3/4-length victory over Escapable Beaux and Doug Brown.



Unraced at two, this was the first victory of the year for the son of Western Hanover, who won six of 29 starts and $150,323 last year. Zeron trains and co-owns the stallion with Denis Laperriere, Paul Marion and Ginette Gregoire.



In the second split Blue Burner pulled off a mild upset at odds of 9-2 for trainer Casie Coleman, who had three winners on the card, and driver Mark MacDonald. The son of Grinfromeartoear sat second after leading early, then uncorked a :28.2 final quarter en route to the 2 1/2-length score. Mattscape Seelster and Paul MacDonell were second.



It was the eighth lifetime win for Blue Burner, who has career earnings of $105,584 for Steve Calhoun and Michael Lindley.

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