The Southern Oaks Training Center kicked off its first of three Wednesday qualifying sessions yesterday with a familiar face from the Ontario racing wars returning to the track

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Gord Irwin trainee Bigtime Ball made his first on-track appearance of 2009 a winning one, scoring a 1:54 win for driver Leonard Hill.

The Presidential Ball five-year-old gelding was making his first start since last October. In 2008 Bigtime Ball raced against the best older pacers in North America, banking over $143,000 and pacing to his life's best time of 1:49.1.

While horses have to pay an $75 entry fee to qualify at Southern Oaks, Marlys Pinske explains that this charge is something necessary for people training in the area.

"We have to hire a judge, a charter, and a photographer, thus the $75 charge," Pinske told Trot Insider. "The other training centres in the area charge considerably more, but we look at it as a service to customers. We have several outside people who have called to enter also."