by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Won The West made a name for himself by going fast, but trainer Ron Burke doesn’t mind proceeding slowly with the star pacer as he gets ready to return from tendon issues that sidelined him last year.

The 8-year-old gelding pacer is scheduled to return to the track for the first time since last September’s second-place finish in the Canadian Pacing Derby at Saturday morning’s qualifiers at the Meadowlands. Won The West ranks No. 3 in North American harness racing history for career earnings, with $3.92 million.

“Everything seems good,” Burke said. “He’s been in (1):56. He’ll take at least two, maybe more, qualifiers. We’ll get him going and hopefully catch some of the bigger races at the end of the year.”

USTA/Ed Keys photo

Won The West is looking to become the third North American pacer to bank $4 million lifetime.

Burke is not going to push Won The West, who has won 36 of 103 career starts and was the Dan Patch Award winner for best older male pacer in 2009 and 2010.

“I’ve followed his lead the whole way, so we’re not going to change now,” Burke said. “He’ll do what he needs to do when he wants to do it.”

Won The West is owned by Country Club Acres Inc., Strollin Stable and William J. Robinson. Among the horse’s career triumphs are the 2009 and 2010 Breeders Crown Open Pace, the 2010 Canadian Pacing Derby, 2009 Quillen Memorial, 2010 Molson Pace and three consecutive American-National stakes (2007-09).

He won the 2009 Breeders Crown at the Meadowlands in a stakes-record 1:47, a time just one-fifth of a second off the fastest race mile ever by an older pacer. He trails all-time pacing money-leader Gallo Blue Chip by $332,923 and second-place Mister Big by $80,221.

Burke will continue to exercise caution with Won The West as he makes his way back.

“I don’t think (his issues) are ever going to be behind him, but it’s manageable right now,” Burke said. “We’re never going to hurt him. He’s never been hurt; the tendon has never bowed or torn. Anytime it’s inflamed, I just shut him down. We’re going to make sure we do right by him, first and foremost.”

Burke trio ship to London for Molson Pace eliminations

Won The West will miss this year’s Molson Pace, but Burke still has three contenders in the race, including 2011 winner Foiled Again.

Two eliminations for the Molson Pace will be held Friday at The Raceway at Western Fair District in Ontario. Foiled Again is the even-money morning line favorite in the second division. Stablemate Atochia is the 6-5 choice in the first elim, followed by fellow Burke-trainee Clear Vision at 2-1.

Foiled Again, who was the 2011 Pacer of the Year, has won three of seven races this season and earned $228,850. He has won 61 of 152 career races and banked $3.64 million. He heads to the Molson off a third-place finish in the Graduate last weekend at the Meadowlands.

Atochia, who won the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series championship in April, was ninth in the Graduate. He has four wins in seven races this season, earning $308,900.

“They’re both doing well,” Burke said. “Atochia reverted back a little bit last week, but that’s hardly his kind of mile; he got caught in the wrong spot. We’ll be a little bit more aggressive with him this week and get him back on schedule.”

Joining Atochia and Clear Vision in the first C$20,000 elim are Up The Credit, St Elmo Hero and Stonebridge Tonic. In the second division, Aracache Hanover, Valentino, Machal Jackson, Razzle Dazzle, and Secret Weapon join Foiled Again. The top four finishers from each elimination race advance to the C$300,000 final on May 25.

“It’s a great race, a tradition filled race,” Burke said. “I love that kind of stuff.

“Plus,” he added, “the money’s great.”