Harness racing keeps Katie MacNeil on track

by Matthew Lomon

Growing up in a horse racing family, trainer Katie MacNeil’s love for harness racing was instant.

The weekends she spent accompanying her father, and long-time horseman, Francis MacNeil at his barn, made her realize that one day, she too, would follow in his footsteps – even if he hinted otherwise.

“He never really wanted me to get into it,” Katie said with a laugh.

Francis and Katie’s mother, Dianne, always wanted their daughter to go to school, which she did.

Katie graduated from Mohawk College in 2014 with a diploma in Financial Services, and soon after, explored career opportunities outside of racing.

None, however, inspired the same magnetic connection she felt towards standardbreds.

“I got in and out of it a few times, but I just always saw myself coming back to it,” Katie said. “It was something that I really enjoyed doing. Nothing else was like it.”

Before setting out on her own in 2022 to pursue full-time training duties, Katie spent several years gaining experience under industry veterans, honing her craft as a groom.

Gary Budahn, a veterinarian from California whom she worked for when she was about 18, Canadian harness racing stalwart James Whelan, five-time Canadian trainer of the year Casie Coleman, and ascending conditioner Desiree Jones are among those she counts as most influential in her journey.

Budahn’s brand of firm guidance yielded countless invaluable lessons for Katie, chiefly the importance of trusting her instincts at a pivotal time in her life.

“He was tough on me, but I felt like I learned a lot from him and had a lot of good experiences,” she said. “He always pushed me to do my best. He always said, ‘Go to school, but if this is something you want to pursue, I think you’ll be good at it.’’’

Coleman and Jones, on the other hand, were the living example of what she aspired to be.

“They inspired me as successful female trainers,” Katie said. “I always hoped that I’d be able to train my own one day, but I didn’t know if that would ever be something that would actually come to fruition… Now, I’m living the dream.”

Katie’s dream job became a reality on November 1, 2022, at The Raceway at Western Fair District, when she teamed up with her boyfriend, driver Tyler Borth, to send out brown pacer Mr John in her first career start as a trainer.

One week later, Borth and the son of Shadow Play—Barks Like A Dog delivered Katie’s first winner.

“I thought that he might have needed another start or two, and it was a bit of an unexpected win, but obviously I was really happy,” said Katie of the half-length score in race 5 at Western Fair.

“[Dr.] Trevin Shive sent that horse to me – he’s from Nova Scotia. In a way, he gave me my start as a trainer because Mr John was the first horse I trained. That was a cool moment, for sure.”

Ahead of the landmark day, Katie, knowing full well the range of outcomes a race presents, did her best to remain even keeled.

“I didn’t go in having super high expectations because I didn’t want to be disappointed, but I thought he was classified right, and we might have some luck there,” she said. “Fortunately, it worked out pretty well.”

Katie finished her rookie campaign with a 2-2-2 line across seven starts, setting the stage for a steady incline in the years that followed.

In 2023, Katie’s charges collected 30 wins, 13 seconds, and nine thirds from 86 starts, enough to land the Malahide, ON-based conditioner her first $100,000 season ($168,056).

The good times kept rolling in 2024, as Katie sent out 26 winners (18 seconds and 13 thirds), crossing the 100-start (108) and $200,000 earnings thresholds ($242,397) for the first time.

Now, halfway into her third full year, Katie is on the verge of a full-fledged breakout, with help from once-in-a-lifetime filly Sprite Seelster.

Owned by Borth and Elite Equine LLC’s Paul Gangle, the 3-year-old daughter of Green Manalishi S—Speak Of The Devil stormed to a 1½-length victory in a $140,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold leg on May 26 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

“Coming into the last turn, I thought ‘Oh, Monalishi’s probably going to go by us,’ and then [Sprite Seelster] just kicked herself into another gear; Tyler was just sitting there, and she took off,” Katie said, tongue-in-cheek, of the remarkable effort at 15-1.

“I thought she might have a performance like that in her, but I wasn’t sure because she was in with some really nice fillies. It was amazing to see her pull that off.”

The $40,000 purchase at the 2023 London Classic Yearling Sale has been nothing short of a marvel for Katie on and off the track.

“Simply put, she is just a nice horse,” Katie said of the trotter with nearly $150,000 to her name. “We don’t do a lot of extras with her; she takes care of herself. She does everything that a good horse would do – she’s a great eater, she doesn’t get herself too worked up.

“Maddi Henry, an equine massage therapist, MagnaWaves her and massages her – that’s really been helping. But it’s the only extra stuff we do with her. We just put the foundation into her.”

That foundation has allowed Sprite Seelster to routinely exceed expectations and set the standard for all the trainees under Katie’s tutelage.

“Everybody always dreams of having a horse like that,” Katies said. “You don’t always get lucky enough to have one like her, especially one that you own. That makes it even more special.”

Katie’s stable currently houses 10 horses – eight in training, one turned out, and a 22-year-old retiree.

She is particularly bullish on the trio of Jayport Muscle Up, Goal Digger, and Johnny Buckshot.

Jayport Muscle Up, a hulking Muscle Mass 3-year-old, is nearing a return to action following a few months of down time to grow into his body.

“He’s huge,” she said. “He’s a really big horse, so we’ve given him a lot of time off. We raced him a little bit… He’s finally put some weight on, and he looks really good. I’m excited to get him back.”

Goal Digger, a 3-year-old Wheeling N Dealin trotter, and Johnny Buckshot, are both trained by Katie for owner Brad Wilson.

The former, while in need of a little extra seasoning, has his trainer quietly hopeful.

“Goal Digger’s been a bit of a project,” she said. “If we can get him to the races and get him going, it’ll be really rewarding. He’s got it in there, it’s just whether we can get him to put it all together.”

Although Katie’s path to this point wasn’t linear, a deep-rooted bond with horses and harness racing always kept her on track.

“We always hope to keep improving every year,” she said. “It’s gone well so far – hopefully we can keep the momentum and make this year one to remember.”