While Mark MacDonald had high hopes to win one of two Kentucky Sire Stakes divisions on Thursday night at The Red Mile with world record holder Bolt The Duer, he ended up winning both after picking up an unexpected and extremely live catch drive.
North America Cup champ Thinking Out Loud was the heavily favoured sophomore colt in the first $15,000 KYSS division but was missing something at post time: his scheduled driver, Randy Waples - who was unable to make the trip to Lexington due to flight troubles. Trainer Bob McIntosh called on MacDonald to drive Thinking Out Loud, and MacDonald guided the son of Ponder to an easy 1:49.2 win for his first visit to the winner's circle since capturing the $1.5 million North America Cup at Mohawk Racetrack in June.
McIntosh co-owns Thinking Out Loud (Ponder - Los Angeles) with C S X Stables of Liberty Center, Ohio and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. of Leamington, Ont. The homebred has five wins in 11 seasonal outings.
Three races later, MacDonald was back in the bike behind Adios winner Bolt The Duer. That son of Ponder was bet down to 1-9 and garnered just as much respect on the racetrack after cruising to an open-length 1:50.2 score.
All Star Racing of Towaco, N.J. owns and Pete Foley trains Bolt The Duer, now a winner of four of nine starts in 2012.
MacDonald remarked after the races that Bolt The Duer was "really good" in his first start since that 1:47.4 world record score in the Adios and that Thinking Out Loud showed him "amazing speed".