Although he compiled a bulging resume in 2010, pilot Mark MacDonald will not have a shot at an end-of-the-year O'Brien Award honour. Haven taken the news in stride, MacDonald has set his sights on 2011, and the Woodbine Entertainment Group driving colony should
take notice.
After Mark's father, Fred MacDonald, penned an op-ed piece in The Guardian stating that his son had been robbed of an O'Brien Award for his 2010 campaign, Mark responded with much class and grace, as he congratulated the finalists, Randy Waples and Scott Zeron (Please note that the O'Brien Award voters' mandate is to vote for the horse or person in each division they felt made the greatest contribution to Canadian harness racing over the past season).
Although Mark took the O'Brien Award 'snubbing' as best as anyone could, he asserted that he will be back in full force in the 2011 racing season. He re-asserted that statement during a recent interview with the Woodbine Entertainment Group.
During the interview, Mark proclaimed that he is on top of his game heading into the '11 campaign. "This is the best Mark MacDonald there has ever been, driver-wise. I put way more thought into my driving. I'm very calm and relaxed on the racetrack. I know all the horses. I just put a lot of work into my driving. I put a lot of work into it -- I do," he said. "This is the best I can be, and that is all I can ever ask for."
MacDonald stated that lingering effects of wrist and shoulder injuries are now a thing of the past.
"I did (have a bad wrist and shoulder), but that is past tense. I'm a very solid 150 pounds right now (and I) feel very good. I worked really hard all year on my core and on my legs. I feel really good. I feel good in the bike and I feel good mentally. When you feel good in the bike and you feel good mentally, that reflects on the racetrack."
He stated that he is fresh off a vacation and that his dedication to the gym is not going to change in 2011. "I'm going to do the same thing this year. I'm going to work hard at the gym; I'm going to do my best on the racetrack; I'm going to try to win some races, show up every night, and hopefully when springtime rolls around I'll be lucky enough to get on some nice two-year-olds and three-year-olds -- and you never know, maybe win some more big races. That's my goal. I love winning big races. That's what I live for. I pray that I get a chance to do it again [in 2011]."
(With quotes from WEG)