Despite Post 10 sporting the lowest win percentage of just 5.6 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, James MacDonald won 100 per cent of his starts from the dreaded post position on Thursday night, Nov. 14.
Post 10 proved to be no problem for Canada's leading driver, who worked out winning trips for a pair from the outside of the starting gate.
First up in the opener was two-year-old trotting filly Shampoo Girl, who won at first asking from the 10-hole in 1:58 over the 'good' track. MacDonald got the favoured Rick Zeron trainee to the front after the opening panel and held off the late-closing Hellion by a head at the end.
MacDonald later crossed to command with the Jodie Cullen-trained four-year-old pacer Granite Beach as soon as the starting gate sped away in the evening's seventh race and the popular grey gelding re-took control from mid-race leader Gladiator S BG then held off Happy Neighs by half a length in 1:54.2. The victory came on a night when Cullen, with successful starters at Mohawk and Flamboro Downs, surpassed the 200-win mark for the second season in a row. The nation's leading trainer is just one of 10 trainers in North America with more than 200 wins in 2024.
As for MacDonald, the three-time O'Brien Award winner is looking to top the 400-win mark for the third straight year. His pair of Post 10 victories lifted his win count to 394, which ranks ninth best in North America.
Only two other horses on Thursday's 10-race card started from Post 10, finishing fifth and eighth, respectively.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)