Lawrence "Soupy" MacDonell, 75, passed away on March 3, 2024 after a short illness at his home in Bowie, Maryland.
He was born in Inverness, N.S. Since a very young age, his love of horses lead him to his harness racing career. He went to the United States in the mid-1970s with Norman Bradbury, where he was second trainer for several years. He eventually started his own stable with his favourite horse, Mini View. He raced many years at Rockingham Park and Foxboro. When those tracks closed, he relocated to Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland. He was happy anywhere as long as there was a golf course nearby and NASCAR to watch on the weekends. While there, he got his starters license.
He moved to Florida working as a trackman at Winter Miles Training Center in Oviedo, Florida until that closed and then worked for the County. Racing was ingrained in his heart and soul, and for many years he started the qualifying races at Ben White Raceway and Southern Oaks Training Center.
He never forgot his Cape Breton roots and returned home to Inverness to race as often as he could.
He was always available to mentor the younger horsemen starting out and allowing them drive his horses to get their licenses.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Karen, sister-in-law Janet Gilmour and her son Bret. Sisters Kay Kennedy-Young, Shirley Lennon and brother Sandy (Evelyn) MacDonell, and many nieces and nephews in Canada.
Private services will be held at a later date.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Lawrence MacDonell.
Saw Soup at Southern Oaks 5…
Saw Soup at Southern Oaks 5 years, and before that we grew up in the same village. We both loved to talk horses. Couldn't get a word in edgewise. RIP Soup.