He's loving life training his stable leading mare Major Trap in South Florida and in at least equal measure Ron MacArthur is savoring his role as the grandfather of one of the NHL's best defensemen

, 24-year-old Dion Phaneuf of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"My mare has gone off form a bit with finishing fifth in her last start in the Mares Open but I try to be there for Dion to talk to almost every day so things keep going as well as possible for him," MacArthur said.

Hailing from Summerside, Prince Edward Island, the 75-year-old MacArthur would seem to be a fine source of advice and inspiration for his well known grandson. He was a professional hockey player himself until the age of 44 in North America and Europe.

"Ron sort of tricked me with the way he got into training these harness horses," his wife of over five decades, Bernie, chimed in to explain. "After he was done with hockey he told me he was getting me a riding horse or a pleasure horse but it turned out to be a standardbred. Really though we've had a great life with racing at a lot of different places and we're really happy now to make Florida our permanent home. Dion, by the way, is a terrific grandson. He's the son of my daughter Amber. Although he grew up in Edmonton we're very close and we talk almost every day. We never miss a Toronto game on TV with that special package and we often see him on Summer visits to Prince Edward Island. Dion has properties there and loves the Maritimes, too."

MacArthur gave up driving duty over 12 years ago with 243 wins registered. In a training career of just over three decades he's amassed 432 registered wins and just surpassed $2 million in career earnings. He'll mark the occasion of his 76th birthday on March 28.

"I have to walk with a cane now but that doesn't stop me from being with the horses," said MacArthur. "I'm putting off getting a knee replacement surgery but that doesn't stop me from going to the barn and getting in the jog cart every day. We were really happy that Dion was traded from Calgary to Toronto this year and I think Brian Burke is building a great young team. Dion wouldn't let me miss a day with the horses if I wanted to. After all, I'd better be tough or my advice to Dion to pick up his game when I see him getting soft about going into the corners wouldn't be much good."

(Pompano Park)