He's notched his share of fair firsts over the last 15 years, but driver James MacDonald checked off another first during the session of qualifiers on Friday, Jan. 16 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Returning from a winter break on Friday morning, MacDonald won three of the four qualifying dashes in his first appearances as part of the 40-plus club. MacDonald, the Keith Waples Driver of the Year winner for four consecutive years, was last in action at Mohawk on Jan. 5 and returned to the driving colony on a brisk Friday morning. The Guelph, Ont. resident, seeking his unprecedented fifth straight O'Brien Award as Canada's driver of the year later this month at the 2025 O'Brien Awards, hit the big 4-0 this past weekend.
MacDonald's morning qualifying victories came courtesy Madam X (1:56.3), Bettor B Going (1:57.3) and Bettorthingsahead (2:00).
Certainly also hoping for better things ahead, MacDonald returns to pari-mutuel action on Friday night at Mohawk with full dance cards over the next four evenings. He will look to add to his 4,331 lifetime victories and $85 million in purse earnings.
The full video stream from Friday's session is available below.
For results from the qualifying session, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).
(Standardbred Canada)