When he opened his somewhat bleary eyes on the morning of June 14th, James MacDonald smiled contentedly, fully aware that his long-held dream had become a reality. By Chris Lomon.
Less than 12 hours after he guided Odds On Mr Mamba to glory in the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup, 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.
It was something MacDonald was reminded of in the final strides to the wire, when driver and horse produced a coming-out-of-the-clouds stretch drive that yielded a half-length score in 1:48.1, against the best sophomore pacers on the planet.
A dialed-in MacDonald found inspiration in the decibel levels emanating from the packed apron and grandstand.
“You can definitely hear the crowd,” he recalled. “They were screaming loud and it makes it a lot of fun. It’s always fun, whatever the sport, when you get to play in front of a packed house. They were electric on Saturday night… I fed off that down the lane. It was a perfect ending to it all.”
MacDonald’s immediate reaction, despite a few not-suitable-for-print utterances, spoke of how meaningful the victory was.
“You could see in the helmet cam that they had to switch it off because I was swearing,” he said with a laugh. “I was pretty jacked-up, that’s for sure. I let it all out and soaked up everything in that moment - all the sights and sounds. It was a very emotional moment. I don’t know how to describe it. Even a day or two after the race, it’s hard to put that feeling into words. And maybe that tells you just how big it felt.”
And not just for himself.
A huge gathering of family and friends were waiting for MacDonald when he brought Odds On Mr Mamba back to the winner’s circle, and seeing the reaction on the faces of the people he’s closest to was as picture-perfect as it gets.
“My little guy (son, Griffin) isn’t a big racing guy yet - he’s only nine - but he was pretty pumped up. He doesn’t get excited about too much, but you could see how happy he was. That was fun to see. My wife [Paige] and everyone who knows me well understands everything that goes into winning a race like this. Not every day is sunshine and lollipops. They know there are some tough days you have to fight through as well. But something like this you will never forget.”
Paige MacDonald, like her husband, is still trying to put the win into perspective.
“I guess I couldn’t believe it was actually happening,” said Paige, a trainer since 2022, but a lifelong horseperson, being the daughter of Julie and the late Mark Austin. “We were all screaming coming down the lane. We were all so excited. It was a moment of pure joy.”
James’ brother, Curtis, owner of the award-winning CUJO Entertainment, a company that produces live racing shows, watched it all unfold through a special lens. While Odds On Mr Mamba and James were in full flight, so, too, was Curtis.
“I probably had one of the most unique views of the race because I was flying the drone from the infield. Partway down the stretch, I paused the drone because I was well behind the pack, which allowed me to actually watch the finish and cheer James on down the lane. The roar of the crowd and the realization that he was about to win gave me goosebumps. It was an incredible moment to just be there and see it happen live.
“My wife, who was one of the hosts for our PrimeTime Racing broadcast, was tasked with getting an interview with one of the losing connections. I could hear her interview with Andrew Harris through my headset, and as soon as she wrapped up, I looked out and saw her running toward the winner’s circle to celebrate with James. I landed the drone, made my way over, and joined them in the winner’s circle. It was a truly unforgettable experience.”
It was also a reminder that good guys can finish first.
“I truly admire James’ dedication to the sport,” said Paige. “He always shows up and gives 110 percent every race.”
“I think what impresses me most is his ability to not let the big moments change how he appreciates the little ones,” offered Curtis. “He can be just as excited walking into a million dollar race as he is watching my son hit a ball in t-ball.”
How the driver was able to hit it out of the park in the 43rd edition of the North America Cup is a story seemingly torn from the pages of a Hollywood big-screen script, as in the lead-up to the race, MacDonald wrestled with a decision most drivers would love to have.
Throughout his outstanding driving career, one that will no doubt see his name, image and accomplishments receive Hall of Fame recognition, MacDonald has been tasked with making seemingly countless choices - big, small or otherwise - when it comes to his craft.
This year, the man with nearly 4,500 lifetime wins in the racebike had to stare down one of the most daunting and difficult decisions he has ever faced: Who to team with for the Cup.
MacDonald had to choose between Odds On Mr Mamba and Sweet Lovin Lou ahead of the June 13th final after driving both to victory in their respective North America Cup eliminations one week earlier at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
“I think a lot of it [decision making] is instinct. You can go back-and-forth a hundred different times, but your first instinct is the one you usually go with. I think it’s listening to yourself, to do what you think is right.”
The highly anticipated answer, one that took a couple of days to land on, came in the form of Odds On Mr Mamba, the lightning-quick son of Odds On Equuleus - Honky Tonk Woman, and the fastest-ever two-year-old, after he stopped the teletimer in a head-turning 1:47.4 at Hoosier Park last October.
Bred and owned by Dana Parham’s Odds On Racing, the fleet-footed bay gelding is trained by Melanie Wrenn, and before coming to Canada had only ever been driven by Melanie’s husband Peter, and Dexter Dunn.
Dunn had steered the gelding to a 1:49 victory in his first sophomore start, on May 25th at Hoosier Park, but opted to go with Brandon Blvd in the June 6th Cup elimination - paving the way for MacDonald to capture the drive.
When asked, at the post-position draw for the main event, how they landed on James as their new driver, Melanie Wrenn stated her thoughts quite plainly: “We’re very fortunate to have James doing the job. We like to see him [Odds On Mr Mamba] driven a little bit more conservatively, and he [James] really just fits the horse perfectly - so it was James.”
Even with her Canadian driver of choice now enlisted however, Melanie wasn’t necessarily over-confident going into their elimination. “I knew he was a super-nice colt, but I truly didn’t think we were going to win. Like, Beau Jangles is pretty massive… it was a big surprise to me. I knew he [Mr Mamba] was fast but… he’s really fast!”
After defeating the previously undefeated Beau Jangles in his elimination though, Mr Mamba, who had now won nine of his first 10 career starts, and earned more than $528,000 in the process, had made believers out of many - including his new driver, who chose him over a very nice colt, in Sweet Lovin Lou, that he had driven exclusively since his two-year-old baby races.
“What makes him [Mr Mamba] special is his speed,” praised MacDonald. “He has that quick turn of foot - I blink and he’s gone from zero to what seems like a thousand. That is definitely his best quality. He is great to drive, he has a desire to win, and he is just a special horse. Great horses are different in many ways, but his sheer speed is remarkable. If he is anywhere close, turning for home, and didn’t get used too much early, he will turn heads with his speed.”
It’s vapor-trail velocity that MacDonald compares to one of the NFL’s fastest players.
“I think you could liken Odds On Mr Mamba to [NFL star receiver] Tyreek Hill - small, compact and blazing speed.”
Odds On Mr Mamba went seven-for-eight as a two-year-old, while campaigning exclusively at Harrah’s Hoosier Park in Indiana. He was fourth in his debut and then went on his impressive unbeaten streak, including winning three Indiana Sire Stakes legs and the Elevation Stakes, before capping his year by easily capturing the Indiana Super Final.
All-told, in eight freshman starts, Mr Mamba paced his last quarter in :25 and change four times, and never paced home slower than :26.2.
Truly astonishing numbers.
“This whole process of deciding between two phenomenal horses - that’s what I have said so many times - it is the best problem in the world to have,” said MacDonald. “I was hoping Sweet Lovin Lou would take the steps he did to be good enough to be in this race, and it happened. To have two great options was as perfect as it gets.”
It was also, admittedly, a cerebral and emotional challenge.
“They are two very different horses in a lot of ways, but we are lucky people to be able to drive great horses and to be around great horses all the time. To understand all the different ways that they can win and go about their business is pretty cool.”
MacDonald wasn’t the only one in the household either, who was feeling the pressure or was fielding calls and texts about which way he was leaning ahead of his decision.
“It was a tough couple of days, being bombarded, understandably, with a lot of questions about what decision I would make. My wife, Paige, is always great at listening, and helping me when it comes to these types of situations. She’s been supportive every step of the way.”
And rather busy for a stretch, too.
“She was getting a lot of texts from her friends, wondering which direction I was going, so in a sense, both of us were relieved [after the decision was announced].”
MacDonald, the pride of Prince Edward Island, looked to fairways and fresh air when he needed to decompress from the decision-making process for a few hours.
Hitting the links was, in some ways, a therapeutic outlet.
“Playing golf is a good escape for me, to forget about horse racing for a bit. Sometimes, we get into what are these great moments, and we don’t take the time to enjoy them, or enjoy life outside of racing. When I look back, at the end of my career, at these types of moments, I hope I can say that I was able to enjoy them, to not have stressed too much over them, and to be grateful that I was in that position.”
MacDonald’s first phone call after his decision was to the connections of Sweet Lovin Lou.
“I wanted to make sure, before I announced anything, that I talked to the people of the horse I wasn’t going to drive, to get back to them and show them the respect they deserved.”
It is a courtesy that MacDonald himself has been afforded over the years. Years that have seen a hardware haul that includes five consecutive O’Brien Keith Waples Driver of the Year Awards, from 2021 through 2025, making him the first driver in Canadian harness racing history to be named Canada’s best for five years in a row.
Some of his top horses over that span include Legendary Hanover, So Much More, Chantilly, and Its A Love Thing, just to name a few.
Beyond his domestic accomplishments, MacDonald has also enjoyed international success, winning two World Driving Championship titles and showcasing Canadian harness racing talent on a global stage. As the current defending world champion, he will also have a chance to add another trophy when Canada hosts the World Driving Championship in 2027.
“I’m sure every driver would tell you the North America Cup is one race they want to say they have won. The race has seen some of the best horses the sport has ever seen win it. Any time you’re given the chance to have a horse in that race, you’re thrilled just to be in it.”
In the days after the draw, and before the big night under the Mohawk lights, MacDonald, true to form, took each day in stride. He also found time to put everything in perspective ahead of North America Cup No. 43.
“Making decisions, in a race or beyond that, is just harness racing and being a driver. There are ups-and-downs, wondering why you have been taken off or are not driving a horse, but you roll with the good and try not to dwell on the tough times.”
Just enjoy the drive, MacDonald reminded himself in the days before the race.
“You have to appreciate it all or you’re putting so much stress and pressure on yourself, which does nothing positive for you leading up to the race,” he reasoned. “You won’t enjoy it. After it’s over, whether it’s this race or if you find yourself in a similar scenario down the road, there will always be a sigh of relief. Hopefully, it ends up being a great sigh and a lot of celebrating.”
Wishful thinking, no doubt, but words that turned out to be prophetic.
The seventh time in Canada’s biggest harness race - MacDonald’s best finish in six previous Cup tries was a fourth-place finish in 2024 with Legendary Hanover - would be the charm.
“I was so confident,” said James, who had only picked up two cheques in his first six Cup final appearances. “I just thought the way the draw set-up, I thought I was going to get a great trip, and it ended up being a dream come true.
“I watched my brother [Mark] win this race with Sportswriter, cheering like a madman from up at Kawartha Downs, never thinking I was ever going to do anything like that on this kind of stage. So, it’s pretty special for me, and I’m just so thankful I got the drive, and so, so lucky to be here.”
And lucky to keep his cell phone charged throughout and after the festivities. MacDonald found a way to keep pace, answering the dozens of texts and emails that have poured in.
Not that he is complaining.
“I was able to sit in bed and reply to everyone who reached out. It took me close to two hours to get through them all, but it’s a great problem to have. I’ll take that any time. It means you’ve done something special, and that a lot of people care about you. I don’t take that lightly.”
Was he able to wind down in the aftermath of his Cup conquest?
“I wouldn’t know. Winding down after a race like this isn’t usually an option. We went to the after-party, stayed there pretty late, and then a few buddies came back to my place and celebrated here. We went to bed very late. There was no problem sleeping - it just wasn’t long enough. But we made it to the barn on Sunday and found a way to get the work done.”
Waking up to the realization that he had won the North America Cup helped offset any weariness.
“Exactly. I had the chance to watch the replay a few times in the days after the race. It’s unbelievable. I guess you look at it and think maybe you won’t do it again, so you make sure you get full enjoyment of it because they’re hard to come by. I am very aware and appreciative of what this means, and I want to make sure I get every ounce of enjoyment out of it.”
Don’t expect MacDonald to rest on his laurels though. There are other races he’s still chasing on his wish list, including one in his home province.
“Winning a second Cup is definitely on the list, and being from Prince Edward Island, I want to win the Gold Cup & Saucer too. I’d also love to win the Hambletonian,” said the man who captured the Hambo Oaks in 2025. “Then there’s The Little Brown Jug - hopefully I can get one of those too.
“In saying all that, I really don’t take for granted how lucky I am to have the support of so many people, and how fortunate I am to drive such great horses - but in this sport it’s good to dream big.”
It’s even better when those big dreams come true.
Just ask James MacDonald.
This feature originally appeared in the July issue of TROT Magazine. Subscribe to TROT today by clicking the banner below.
