The top Mohawk reinsman recounts his time racing in the U.S., including a very memorable Meadowlands Pace Night last weekend.

by Melissa Keith

On May 16, 2015, James MacDonald ventured from Woodbine Mohawk Park to drive six horses at The Meadowlands. While he finished second in the TVG Free For All with Modern Legend (p, 6, 1:47.2s; $958,132) and fourth in the Cutler Memorial driving Appomattox (3, 1:52.2m; $619,895), he went winless on the card.

Saturday (July 13, 2024) was a form reversal for the Guelph, ON driver, but a form reversal a long time in the making.

In the years between his first Meadowlands drives and his most recent, MacDonald captured the 2017 World Driving Championship title and three consecutive O’Brien Keith Waples Driver of the Year Awards (2021-23). He is the top driver of the 2024 meet so far at Mohawk and 12th in North America, with 228 wins from 1,084 starts. His 2024 purse winnings have reached $3,517,738, sixth among U.S. and Canadian drivers to date this season.

MacDonald said Meadowlands Pace night began on a hopeful note when he won race 1, a 3-year-old open pace, with 13-1 colt Huntingforchrome (p, 3, 1:48.1m; $195,452).

“I was just lucky to pick that one up in his second start for [trainer] Travis [Alexander],” the winning driver told HRU. “I think he said he shut his air off a little bit his first start, so he changed a few things, got him calmed down. A pleasant surprise to start the night.”

MacDonald was listed to drive Huntingforchrome in Saturday’s (July 20) Delvin Miller Adios eliminations at The Meadows, which went to post after this column was filed.

“With just one start for me and him together, all I have is positive thoughts of the horse, because he raced so well that night, so I think going into the Adios, he’s a real player,” MacDonald said. “He drew well [post 4 in the first of two eliminations]. I can’t see why he wouldn’t be a horse to like, especially going into the eliminations.”

In race 2 on Meadowlands Pace night, MacDonald also drove Benny J (3,1:51.2m; $99,541) to a lifetime-best victory for trainer Tony Alagna.

“I drove him the week before and I loved him,” MacDonald said. “Tony had told me just take it easy on him. He got locked in but was just kind of splitting through horses late, with lots of trot, so I was happy to get the call on him again. Even though he was stretched out pretty good [making front approaching the half], I was able to get reasonable fractions and then he sprinted home well. It was definitely a good way to kick off the night, with a double and the confidence I had after that one.”

In the race 3 Miss Versatility leg, 2023 O’Brien Older Trotting Mare of the Year Adare Castle finished fifth for MacDonald.

“I was really happy with her,” he said. “She had been struggling at the start of the year, but I thought she raced really well. She was trotting hard down to the wire. [Tactical Mounds] won in [1]:49.4, so it’s tough to expect that much, but she went a big [1:51] mile. She’s a great mare and I thought it was a great effort.”

His next drive was in race 5, the Jerry Silverman Memorial, with Andrew Harris trainee Asweetbeachhere (p, 3, 1:50.3f; $221,775), who finished seventh behind winner Caviart Belle.

“I was loaded but didn’t have anywhere to go,” MacDonald said. “I left and kind of got stuck in that spot, and I couldn’t get out until about 10 feet before the wire, so she’s a horse to watch. I think she’s going to the Adioo Volo [at The Meadows] next week, so I’m excited to hopefully get the drive back on her.”

Although already familiar to other Grand Circuit drivers, Canada’s 2024 National Driving Champion said he had built his broader reputation with strong showings in recent visits to The Meadowlands, leading to more catch drives and American success.

“I had been going there for a few weeks in a row before [Meadowlands Pace night], because of Hasty Bid, our own horse [co-owned and trained by his wife, Paige Austin],” MacDonald said. “I’d had some luck there with him and Coach Stefanos [p, 4, 1:47.3m; $857,656], and when you’re hot, people just give you a shot. The night I didn’t drive Hasty Bid and Yannick [Gingras] did, I think I was down to drive eight or nine there [at The Meadowlands] that night. I didn’t make it, and I lost a few [drives], but came back and won the [Meadowlands Pace] elimination with Legendary [Hanover], and it just started snowballing.”

Last Saturday night marked the culmination of MacDonald’s renewed U.S. focus and racing luck.

“When you’re having success, everybody wants to give you a shot,” he said. “I wasn’t even listed on all of them, it was just that [trainers] must have called the judges and put me down [to drive], so it was definitely a pleasant surprise when I saw I had so many drives.”

He teamed up with trainer Lucas Wallin for the first time in race 6, the Stanley Dancer Memorial. Life On The Bluf (3, 1:52.4m; $83,703) finished sixth to Sig Sauer.

“Lucas had said it was a big ask for [Life On The Bluf] to try the Dancer, but I think he’s a really nice horse,” MacDonald said. “He’s just starting to develop into what they hope will be a great racehorse. Lucas Wallin was a guy I’d never driven for before… He knew I was down there; he knew I was having a little bit of luck, and unfortunately, I didn›t get to the winner’s circle with [Life on the Bluf] but he was pleased. The horse trotted home strong.”

The driver’s family-owned trotter Hasty Bid (4, 1:50.2m; $485,175) ended up ninth in race 9, the mile-and-one-eighth E.T. Gerry Jr. Hambletonian Maturity.

“It was just a tough race, a distance race with 12 horses in it,” he said. “He usually leaves good and finishes good, but those races just have so much action. I was first to the front, let Yannick [driving winner Chapercraz] go, and then I think I ended up ninth turning for home… [Scott Zeron’s] horse [Bestfriend Volo] was getting tired and he tried to get him out of everyone’s way, and the same time he came out, I almost hooked his wheel, and Andy McCarthy’s horse [Call Me Goo] made a break in front of him and I had to take [Hasty Bid] sideways. It was just a real mess down the lane… The horse is really good. It just didn’t work out at all.”

MacDonald said Hasty Bid will return to The Meadowlands soon.

“He’s got one more start there, Hambo Day in the Cashman, and then the tentative plan is to take him home and try him in the Maple Leaf Trot,” he said. “He has a pretty light schedule after that, so we’ll just see how it goes. We’ll probably send him back for the Breeders Crown to Nancy [Takter].”

In Saturday night’s race 10, the William R. Haughton Memorial, Christchurch and his latest catch driver finished sixth behind winner Abuckabett Hanover.

“I’ve raced against him a few times,” MacDonald said. “I’ve never driven him before. I knew he could be a pretty hot horse, so I was going to try and race him easy, if I could. He did very well, paced through straight to the wire, but didn’t get a lot of racing room in the stretch. I think it was a really good effort from him, and sometimes you can have a good sixth or seventh-place finish. They’re so good, those horses.”

His most memorable race of the July 13 card was in the race 11 Meadowlands Pace final, when Legendary Hanover (p, 3, 1:46.3m; $710,959) established a 1:46.3 stakes record for regular driver MacDonald and trainer Anthony Beaton.

The 2023 O’Brien 2-Year-Old Male Pacer of the Year came through despite a challenging outlook early in the final.

“I landed in a bad spot and made a decision to come hard and try [leader] Funtime Bayama, and it clearly wasn’t his best night,” MacDonald said. “My horse was able to clear and he was so strong. He swelled up on the last turn and when I called on him in the stretch, I don’t know how, but he had lots more. He’s a special animal and I’m just happy to be along for the ride.”

In race 12, Its a Love Thing (p, 3, 1:48.2s; $745,251) and her regular driver delivered a 1:49.1 victory in the Jerry Silverman Memorial, outdueling My Girl EJ in deep stretch.

“She’s just been unbelievable since she started racing,” said MacDonald, aboard for all of the “one-eyed wonder” filly’s 18 lifetime starts and 10 victories. “She won the Shes a Great Lady last year; she won the Fan Hanover already this year. I always have a lot of confidence when I jump in the bike behind her. I know what she’s capable of, and her biggest asset is just her absolute raw will to win.”

In the race 13 Del Miller Memorial, MacDonald’s second catch drive for Lucas Wallin, Dolce Amara (2, 1:54.1m; $101,610), finished seventh behind winner R Melina.

“He had liked her…” MacDonald said. “Unfortunately, she just got pretty wound up that night and probably shut her air off. She was really grabby the whole way, and she felt like she was going to give me a real good kick, and then halfway down the lane… It just didn’t work out.”

His last drive of the spectacular night was the kind that keeps even the greatest drivers humble.

In race 14, MacDonald drove Cameron Capone trainee Bb Lucky Boy (p, 3, 1:49.1f; $182,409), who finished last at odds of 30-1.

“I didn’t know anything about the horse,” MacDonald said. “I saw he had a lot of ‘1s’ [in the program], but it was a tough class. I tried to trip him out. I was wrestling with him and he wouldn’t submit, so I kind of had to sit on the outside with him and take my medicine. We ended up in a bad spot, and not too many can survive in that spot. Not the horse’s fault.”

With brothers Mark and Anthony now primarily driving in the States, the question of whether the top Canadian reinsman might consider a similar move seems obvious.

“No, not really, because I went during COVID and stayed with my brother Mark, and raced in New Jersey and Pennsylvania a little bit,” James said. “You know, I’ve done it before, and we’re so spoiled here in Canada. We race at one of the best tracks in the world at Mohawk. The purses are great, the people are great, the driver colony’s great, but the biggest factor for me is my son will be 8 in August, and I would never want to be that far away. I did it during COVID for a couple of months and I’ll never do it again. It’ll never happen.”

The prospect of pursuing a Dan Patch Driver of the Year title is not enough to entice James to leave Mohawk for very long.

“I think it’s probably a little bit unrealistic at this point in my career,” he said. “Definitely, I’m going to try to keep winning big races, and if you win a lot of big races, yeah. Those main guys who drive the Grand Circuit in the States are phenomenal, with talent second to none. If you want to beat them, you’d better come with a really exceptional horse, and there’s only a few of those every year. I’m lucky that at this point in the year I’ve got two great horses and some really high-potential 2-year-olds coming up, so you never know. It would be a real honor if that were to happen for any Canadian.”

James looked back fondly on his earliest U.S. drives. 

“That’s nine years ago,” he said with a laugh. “I remember [2014 O’Brien Older Male Pacer of the Year] Modern Legend. He was probably the horse who started me off with some real success. I drove him quite a bit for Dave Drew. He was a fun horse.”

His first American driving win was on June 3, 2015, capturing a New York Sires Stakes Excelsior “A” division at Buffalo Raceway with 3-year-old filly Hot Lemonade (p, 3, 1:53.2s; $106,781).

“For [trainer] Homer Hochstetler; I remember that one, yeah,” James said. “It was my first time going to Buffalo and I don’t think I was there for that horse but I ended up winning with her. I would’ve gone down for a Canadian. I just don’t remember who it was.”

James drove for trainer Tony O’Sullivan that day, finishing last with Bin N Heaven (p, 4, 1:55.0f; $121,975) in the first New York Sires Stake race of the card.

While still the King of Woodbine Mohawk Park, expect to see more of James stateside this season, as the 38-year-old horseman stays with top Canadian contenders across the border.

“Hopefully you’ll see a lot of me in the States this summer,” James said. “Legendary Hanover, as long as he stays healthy and sound, has a big stakes schedule in the States. He’s in the Cane [Pace] next, on Hambo Day. Hasty Bid’s supposed to race in the Cashman Hambo Day. Its a Love Thing, she’s got Kentucky Sires Stakes; I think she’s heading there in a couple weeks. I’m going to be travelling my butt off, not as much as those [Grand Circuit] guys, but it will be a whirlwind summer for me, that’s for sure.”