 |
| Mark McDonald and Alea-Ashly Kaufman celebrating McDonald's 5,000 driving victory. (Tom Berg Photo) |
MacDonald won the $14,500 event as the odds-on ($3.30) choice (1:56.2),
returned to the winner's circle for the requisite 60 percent pomp and 40
percent circumstance, then had to wait out a judge's inquiry involving possible
stretch interference.
The results stood, and MacDonald, accompanied by his lovely better half,
Alea-Ashly Kaufman, was allowed to keep the congratulatory sign.
The 33-year-old MacDonald, a native of Charlottetown, PEI, was a Toronto
circuit standout for years. He migrated stateside (Middletown, NY), making
Yonkers his base of operation since beginning his 2012 racing season in late
February.
He is currently ninth in the local standings.
"As I was getting closer (to 5,000), I started to think about it
more," MacDonald said. "I couldn't be happier with the way things have
worked out since I made the move. Everywhere I’ve driven, people have treated
me very well. I've had support from a lot of trainers like Mark Ford and Peter
Foley, and I really appreciate it.
"I was returning from a serious injury, and I know I came back too soon
(last season). So, I took time off through the end of the season and into early
2012, and thought it was a good time to make the change.
"I had to get back to being comfortable in the sulky again, then learn
Yonkers and the other tracks I've been driving (Tioga, Pocono, Meadowlands).
"I've found Yonkers to be the toughest half-mile track I've ever driven.
In some ways, it's like a big track, because you can't move three-wide here too
early.
MacDonald takes his seat behind the Foley-trained Bolt the Duer--second in the
Art Rooney Pace here--for Saturday's $600,000 final of the Meadowlands
Pace.
MacDonald's resume, which began with a win behind Make it Music in a
"quarter claimer" at Rideau Carleton Raceway in June of 1997 ("I
was 17, but I had a USTA license [through the Maritimes], so Ontario let me
drive"), includes personal bests in 2006 of wins (745) and purses (more
than $10.1 million).
He won that season’s Little Brown Jug with Mr. Feelgood, added a pair of
Breeders Crowns (2007 Mare Pace-Moving Pictures and 2011 3-Year-Old
Colt/Gelding Pace-Betterthancheddar) a North America Cup (2010-Sportswriter)
and a pair of O'Brien Awards as Canada's leading driver.
His career purse earnings exceed $60.6 million.
The Raceway continues its normal five-night-per-week live schedule, with first
post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM. Evening
simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting
available around the NYRA
schedule.
