When the horses hit the track this Sunday at Dresden Raceway for opening day, there will be very few people more excited than Donald MacLellan.

“I’m pretty stoked to be racing here,” said Mac Lellan.

The 34-year-old operations manager at Medavie EMS in Chatham, Ont. has racing in his blood after having grown up just a stone’s throw away from Inverness Raceway.

The Nova Scotia native has been involved in harness racing since he was young thanks to his father, John ‘Piper’ MacLellan, who was involved in harness racing almost his whole life.

Mac Lellan’s father passed away last year, but Donald is keeping the harness racing fire alive. “Like most kids, my father was my hero and we formed a special bond at the track,” he said.

“There are a lot of similarities between Dresden Raceway and Inverness Raceway and the two towns as well,” he added. “It brings back lots of memories.”

MacLellan was in the bike a few times last summer when he visited Nova Scotia. He made four trips to the winner’s circle in 29 drives. He also recorded five second-place finishes and three thirds.

The paramedic by day and horse trainer by night is hoping to get some good racing luck with 3-1 shot Kennairn Fame in the ninth race on Sunday. “There is some tough completion in the race, so I’m hoping to get away well and see how the race unfolds.”

“The racing community is an awesome second family. They are always very supportive and have some of the biggest hearts, which makes the horse racing industry a labour of love.”

Dresden Raceway has 11 race dates this season, and it will kick off its meet on Sunday with at 10-dash card that will start at 1:30 p.m. as well as lots of prizes and giveaways.

First-race post time will be 1:30 p.m.

To view the harness racing entries for Sunday at Dresden, click the following link: Sunday Entries – Dresden Raceway.

(Dresden Raceway)