It appears 2010 has all the markings of a career year for Mark MacDonald.
Although the 31-year-old from Kingston won’t win over 700 races like he did in 2006, the stake wins keep getting piled on. After winning the $1.5-million North America Cup with Sportswriter, he has a few of the best two-year-olds in the country to drive.
Last Saturday night at Mohawk, Pretty Katherine won a $35,000 elimination of the Shes A Great Lady Stake in 1:50.3, equalling A And Gs Confusion’s world record. The Casie Coleman trained daughter of Rocknroll Hanover has drawn post 2 in the $688,000 final. Pretty Katherine is listed at the 2-5 heavy morning- line favourite.
MacDonald also won another $35,000 elimination with Idyllic in 1:51.4, but Dave Miller will drive her in the final.
MacDonald’s big drive of the night is Ohmygosh Hanover in the $1-million Metro Pace final. The son of the Panderosa finished third in his elimination and has drawn Post 6 in the final.
Also on Saturday’s card, MacDonald will drive Lucky Man in the $780,000 Canadian Pacing Derby, Rock To Glory in the $100,000 Metro Pace consolation and North America Cup and Meadowlands Pace finalist Kyle Major in a $25,000 three-year-old Open.
In Mohawk’s first race $34,000 preferred, Gold Cup and Saucer finalists Panda Bear and Stonebridge Terror will face off, along with consolation winner Power Off.
Whipping rule
Our sport’s regulators proved how out of focus they are this past week. A ruling was released in regard to Doug McNair’s drive in the $547,000 Confederation Cup at Flamboro Downs. While going under the wire winning the race with Aracache Hanover, McNair put both lines in one hand and raised the other one with his whip in the air in victory. Looking back on that, the Ontario Racing Commission suspended McNair for four days and fined him $300 for breaking the urging rule they have in place to prevent one handed whipping.
It seems the ORC doesn’t want anyone to show any emotion winning a race, one of the biggest things we need in our sport. Perhaps he broke the way the rule was written but common sense needs to be applied by all racing regulators for the betterment of the industry, whether it be Ontario, the Maritimes or anywhere else.
Exhibition week is underway in Saint John, N.B., and Island horses have been doing well at Exhibition Raceway.
Howdidchado was a winner in 1:59.2 with Mark Bradley driving for owner/trainer Ashley Gamester and co-owner Terry Gallant. The Signyourlifeaway gelding was a dominant six-length winner.
Acton Normal shattered the track record for two-year-old pacing fillies, winning the $6,900 Atlantic Sires Stakes A division in 1:58 for driver Shane Bernard and owner/trainer Tom Weatherbie.
Horse Racing New Brunswick was forced to cancel their $6,000 Invitational after only Formal Affair and Proven Lover declared in to start. With St Pete Star racing in Mohawk, he was second in 1:52 the other night, Carnivore on the shelf, PH Tornado in Newfoundland, PH Bestman reportedly not right, and Outlawpositivcharg resting, there isn’t anyone left to race the free-for-all. This was one of the best years for Maritime owners paying big money for good horses, yet the circuit isn’t holding together. It wasn’t that long ago that Igoddago, Yankee Leader, Basin View Albert, GRs Harrods, Chief Happysak, Bramalea Road and Edgewater RB, among others, brought us some of the best races of the year with anyone of them being capable to win at any time. It’s a shame we can’t get back to that, and get away from short fields with complete layovers like in the past couple years.
Around the tracks
Thursday may as well have been P.E.I. day at Flamboro Downs in Dundas, Ont., as Island natives won eight out of 10 races. MacDonald had five winners on the card, Paul MacKenzie had two, while Stratford’s Robert Shepherd won with Trustmeonemoretime in 1:57.4.
The bumpy road continued for Shepherd last Friday night, as he was sent to the hospital prior to the start of the first race at Flamboro. A horse coming onto the track reared up and got tangled with Shepherd’s horse, knocking the driver down. He was later released from hospital with a bruised rib.
In the $100,000 Cane Pace eliminations last Saturday at Freehold in New Jersey, Dr. Ian Moore’s Malicious finished seventh with David Miller driving. I’m Gorgeous was the winner in 1:50.4, while Malicious paced in 1:52, not making the final.
The Atlantic Classic yearling sale is set for Oct. 15, at the Agriplex in Crapaud. There are 109 entries for the sale with a great looking lineup.
Nicholas Oakes can be reached at nicholasoakes@hotmail.com.
