When he opened his somewhat bleary eyes on the morning of June 14, James MacDonald smiled contentedly, fully aware that his long-held dream had become a reality.
Less than 12 hours after he guided Odds On Mr Mamba to glory in the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup (Grade 1), MacDonald, one of Standardbred racing’s most decorated drivers, took a few moments to rein in a myriad of thoughts and celebrate a victory he had long sought.
“This race has been on my bucket list for a long, long time,” said the 40-year-old driver, whose résumé and trophy case feature numerous triumphs in some of the sport’s biggest events, both stateside and internationally.
To read the full story featured in the July 2026 issue of TROT Magazine, click the following links:
MacDonald and Odds On Mr Mamba seek more stakes glory this weekend as the duo look to connect in the $420,500 USD Delvin Miller Adios (Grade 1) on Saturday, July 25 at The Meadows. The Saturday stakes event is part of a busy weekend for MacDonald, who will also be in action on Saturday night at The Meadowlands before returning to Canada on Sunday, July 26 to take part in the 2026 National Driving Championship / Legends Day broadcast for PrimeTime Racing.
The 2025 World Driving Champion discussed Sunday's exciting card of harness racing at Clinton Raceway with Standardbred Canada's John Rallis as part of SC's Road to the Nationals video series, and that interview will air on Friday, July 24.
(Standardbred Canada)