Driver Mark MacDonald will likely miss the remainder of 2019 after undergoing surgery following an accident at Saratoga Casino Hotel in July.
MacDonald, a winner of 6,220 career races, was on the track with two-year-old So Surreal colt Splash Brother prior to a New York Sire Stakes race at the half-mile oval. MacDonald was unseated and sustained a fractured shoulder joint. As a result of the surgery on the shoulder, MacDonald told Trot Insider that his estimated schedule for a return would be approximately four months and thus effectively keep him out of action for the rest of the calendar year.
"Disappointing...I had a lot of nice two- and three-year-olds that I was driving," said MacDonald."We were aiming them all for later, Red Mile Grand Circuit and Breeders Crown. It sucks, I miss it all but what can you do.
"Turn the page, get healthy and work hard...it will all even out."
MacDonald had won 55 of his 622 drives this year prior to the accident. The Maritime native is also nearing a major personal milestone, as the resident of Goshen, New York has steered his drives to $99.01-million in purse earnings over the course of his career. The left shoulder is healing well but MacDonald said he can't even start the rehabilitation process on it for another month.
"I’m healing up, Ray [Schnittker] knew someone and got me in with a really good surgeon. He actually fixed my old injury while he was doing the new one so that’s going to make a huge difference. That always bothered me so I should be better than before."