After spending January and February plying his trade at MGM Northfield Park, driver Brett MacDonald is back in Canada and set to build on the success he enjoyed in 2020.
MacDonald, who ventured south of the 49th parallel to drive at Northfield during the most recent shutdown of harness racing in Ontario, left the Buckeye State on a winning note — having driven One Through Ten to victory there on Feb. 17. The 24-year-old reinsman was glad to be able to keep driving during the shutdown, handling stock for Canadian trainers Patrick Shepherd and Taylor Fritz on the Cleveland half-miler, but he's just as happy to be home.
"I liked it there, but it's nice to be home," MacDonald told Trot Insider of his stint at Northfield, during which he accumulated 10 wins and just under $67,000 in purses. Now back on familiar Canadian ground and having completed his requisite two-week quarantine, MacDonald is slated to drive in four races on Thursday's (March 4) card at Flamboro Downs and another two on Friday (March 5) at The Raceway at the Western Fair District — a circuit he plans to focus on through the spring.
While his keen ability to rate horses on the Ontario half-mile ovals helped him finish 2020 as Canada's second-winningest driver with a career-best 279 victories, a competitive and talented driving colony made for extremely aggressive racing at Northfield — perhaps more so even than at Flamboro, a product which has developed a reputation as one of the more hotly-contested half-mile tracks.
"It's tough racing," MacDonald related. "There's no breathers, so they have to pace four quarters."
On Thursday, all four of his drives will be for his dad, trainer Ron MacDonald. At the top of the list is Perry Burke's Whatarealbadgirl, who will start from post 4 in the featured $9,400 distaff conditioned pace, programmed as the sixth of 10 races. The daughter of Ameripan Gigolo sustained first-over bids to defeat conditioned company at Northfield both on Jan. 23 and Jan. 30, taking her lifetime mark of 1:55.3 in the first of those wins. She has been installed as the 2-1 second choice in the field of five behind Ubettimagoodone (post 2, J.R. Plante, 6-5), who seeks back-to-back wins at the level.
MacDonald's other drives include Saulsbrook Jessie (race 3, post 2, 2-1), Warrawee Usain (race 9, post 7, 4-1) and Machaholic (race 10, post 8, 8-1).
To view Thursday's complete entries, click the following link: Thursday Entries – Flamboro Downs.
Glad to see your back Brett,
Glad to see your back Brett, keep up the good work, best of luck.