Highly regarded Pepsi North America Cup eligible Big Bad John will make his first start in a division of Saturday’s $210,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes at Chester

Racetrack.

The Ohio-owned, trained and driven son of Western Hanover has been assessed as the seventh overall choice in Trot Magazine's 2011 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book.

“He seems ready to go,” said trainer Ron Potter. “He’s won two qualifiers at the Meadows, including a 1:53 effort last week on a cool, rainy day. That was right where I wanted him to go.”

Big Bad John won seven of nine starts last year and earned $222,705 for owner Edward Telle’s Winchester Baye Acres of Powel, Ohio. He won the Standardbred Stakes during Delaware’s Grand Circuit; Bluegrass and International Stallion Stakes at the Red Mile; the Arden Downs at the Meadows, and Pennsylvania Sires Stakes events at the Meadows and Pocono Downs. He took his race record of 1:50.4 at Lexington’s Red Mile. Big Bad John was also ranked fifth in the annual U.S. Trotting Association’s Experimental Ratings for 2011 three-year-old colt pacers.

“He was at his best at the end of last season. He was so sharp, just great. He has tremendous quick speed at the start and he can grind it out. He never gets tired,” said Potter.

Big Bad John was purchased as a yearling (then named Black Canvas) for $130,000 from breeder Kentuckiana Farms at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

Dave Palone drove Big Bad John in the two Red Mile victories last year, but the decision was made to switch to Brett Miller for the colt’s sophomore campaign. “We made the decision to get a driver who would commit to driving him all season. Plus, Bret’s a Buckeye (Columbus), I’m a Buckeye, and his owner is a Buckeye.”

During the winter months, Big Bad John was trained in Ocala, Florida under the supervision of Bret Merkle. “Bret did an excellent job and deserves to be part of the story. Bret shipped Big Bad John up to Delaware in February and I trained him down to 2:20 before shipping him to the Meadows."

Potter plans to start Big Bad John in an overnight race at the Meadows and then on June 3 in a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes, also at the Meadows. “Then we’ll head to Mohawk [Racetrack] in Canada for the North America Cup eliminations on June 11.

“Our goal is to win the Little Brown Jug. That would be the ultimate experience of a lifetime for all of us Buckeyes.”

(With files from the Little Brown Jug)