by Jeff Renton, media/communications, Woodbine Entertainment Group

Toronto, ON — Mister Big and Predator DVM look to be the sharpest performers set to contest the C$56,300 final of the Willowdale Pacing Series for 4-year-olds on Saturday evening (Jan. 27) at Woodbine.

Only five horses were entered to the Willowdale (Race 1, 7:40 p.m.), which will kick off the 11-race card from the Toronto oval.

Having already notched victories in the preliminary legs, Predator DVM (post 3, Rick Zeron) and Mister Big (post 4, Luc Ouellette) will have to fend off Eagle Luck (post 1, Mike Saftic), Alastor Hanover (post 2, Mario Baillargeon) and Stormaway (post 5, Mark Megens) if they want to get the job done in the final.

Predator DVM, a brown son of Bettor’s Delight, raced from off the pace early in the opening leg before getting to the lead just past the half-mile marker. The Mark Ford trainee would turn out to be an open-length winner in the tilt, triumphing by an expanding 2-1/2 lengths in a time of 1:51.3, which went down as a new life’s mark for the gelding.

Owned by Dean Davis and James Snyder of Wooster, Ohio, $189,011 earner Predator DVM left from post two in the second leg and took a two-hole trip throughout the mile. With pilot Rick Zeron at his controls, the nine-time career winner made a bid late in the mile and finished second, a mere nose behind Mister Big.

Recently purchased by Joseph Muscara (of Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania), Mister Big put in a wire-to-wire victory in the effort, clicking off the timer in 1:51.4 for sulky sitter Luc Ouellette and conditioner Virgil Morgan, Jr.

Having really hit his stride late in his 3-year-old campaign, Mister Big, a son of Grinfromeartoear, has carried his form into 2007 despite a good-sized layoff and a trainer change.

Even though Mister Big didn’t triumph in the opening leg of the Willowdale, the winner of eight lifetime dashes and $420,375 in purses finished well off slow fractions and looks to be tough heading into the final.

The field for the Willowdale is listed below.

Willowdale Pacing Series – C$56,300 final
Post Position – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer
1 – Eagle Luck – M. Saftic – R. McNair
2 – Alastor Hanover – M. Baillargeon – M. Ford
3 – Predator DVM – R. Zeron – M. Ford
4 – Mister Big – L. Ouellette – V. Morgan, Jr.
5 – Stormaway – Ma. Megens – D. Megens

Note: All horses will be racing from the Retention Barn.