by Tom White, publicity director, the Little Brown Jug

Delaware, OH — It is mid-April and North America’s leading 3-year-old colt pacers are getting ready for the long and challenging 2011 stakes schedule.

Big Jim, reigning 2-year-old colt pacing champion in both the U.S. and Canada, will make his first qualifying start on Friday, April 22, at Southern Oaks Training Center in Sorrento, Fla.

Trainer James “Friday” Dean says Big Jim is paid up in all of the major stakes.

New Image Media photo

Big Jim banked $827,204 as a freshman with six wins in 10 starts.

“So far this year he hasn’t given me any problems,” said Dean. “Everything’s been good. Big Jim was sounder and better in his last race than he had been all of last year. We’ll take one race at a time.”

The 48-year-old Dean, who worked with Canadian Hall of Famer Stew Firlotte for more than 20 years, said, “it would mean everything to me to win the Little Brown Jug. It is still the most prestigious race in our sport. As long as Big Jim is physically good, and sound, we’ll be in Delaware.”

Big Jim won six of 10 starts his rookie year, including a world record 1:49.1 effort to become the fastest 2-year-old pacer ever, knocking Sportswriter off the books.

“Big Jim is a big powerful horse and he’s solid muscle,” said Dean. “I’m six feet tall and if I stand by his rump it is level with the top of my head.

“He’s pretty happy. He’s got a great attitude. He just loves to race. He can leave the gate really quick and that is going to help me a lot. He can get away and get a good post position. And that makes it a lot easier.”

Dean trained Big Jim on April 10 in 1:57.3.

“I plan to qualify Big Jim down here on Friday and Phil Hudon will be here to drive Big Jim. The reason we switched to Phil last season is that he will stick with our horse. And he’s familiar with Delaware’s half-mile track.”

Hudon won a division of the 2007 Winbak Farm Stakes at Delaware with Silent Swing in 1:50.3.

Following Friday’s qualifier at Southern Oaks, Dean plans to ship Big Jim to Mohawk Raceway.

“We’ll likely qualify once up there and if the Meadowlands is open, he will race in the New Jersey Classic eliminations on May 21. If not, we’ll race in an overnight at Mohawk and then go in the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes in early June.”

Dean plans to ship Big Jim to Delaware the week before the Jug (September 22).

“I don’t think he has any other races on a half-mile track and I would like to train him over the Delaware track.”

Dean has experience with racing colts in the Jug. In 2006 the pony-sized Doonbeg was third in his elimination but made a break and finished ninth in the final. Last year Classic Rock Nroll won his elim in 1:50.4 but finished fifth in the final to Horse of the Year Rock N Roll Heaven.

Dean has 15 horses in his stable including six for Big Jim’s owner Jim Carr. Carr, who is from Dean’s hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, also has five 2-year-old pacing colts under his trainer’s care. All five are eligible to Delaware’s Standardbred Stakes.

Big Jim is the first horse Dean has trained for Carr.

“We went to the Harrisburg Sale two years ago and bought Big Jim for $35,000,” said Carr. “We changed his name from Bold Ideal Hanover. I think we got him for a reasonable price. He’s by Western Ideal and his dam Bold Pink had produced some good racehorses, but nothing really special.”

For the latest news and information about the Little Brown Jug, as well as all other information about the Delaware Grand Circuit racing, click on the Little Brown Jug website at www.littlebrownjug.com. A complete list of eligibles to all Delaware Grand Circuit stakes is also available on the Jug website.