Harness: Clare MacDonald reaches 1,500th driving win

Clare MacDonald started 2021 just two driving wins away from the 1,500 mark. Once the Atlantic Sires Stakes got rolling, it didn't take her long to make up the difference: North America's top active female driver sent 3-year-old trotter Mr Finlay Ridge to an early lead in his division Tuesday night (July 13) at Truro Raceway and they never looked back, winning by more than three open lengths.

The gelding's second consecutive AtSS victory was a memorable one for MacDonald, who trains and shares ownership of Mr Finlay Ridge with breeder Arnold Rankin and Ian Tate. The Armbro Barrister x R Rocket Rachel (by Angus Hall) son took a new personal best of 2:00 1/5h in the winning effort. Mr Finlay Ridge's full brother, Mabou Ridge, holds Truro Raceway's record for 2-year-old trotters (2:00h), also set in rein to trainer/driver MacDonald, in 2019.

Trotters have marked some important moments in MacDonald's driving career: Her 1,000th driving win was with homebred West River Redwing at Summerside Raceway in 2007. In 1994, she was in the sulky behind the first Maritime-bred trotter to break the 2:00 barrier on a Maritime track: West River Exotic raised the bar with his 1:59 4/5h Atlantic Sires Stakes victory at Exhibition Park Raceway, which still stands today as the New Brunswick half-mile oval's fastest-ever trot mile. MacDonald drove the first Maritime-bred female trotter to break the 2:00 barrier on a Maritime track: Dunmore Skye's 1:59 4/5h record still stands as the fastest ever for her age and gait at Truro Raceway. It was set in a 1997 Atlantic Sires Stakes 3-Year-Old Trot.

Among female North American drivers, only the late Bea Farber has more driving wins (1,801) than the Maritime-based MacDonald, who was short-listed for the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame ballot this year.

Mr Finlay Ridge delivered both of the victories needed for the Antigonish, Nova Scotia horsewoman to reach the 1,500 mark. When interviewed before the start of the 2021 Maritime racing season, MacDonald indicated that the most important win is always the next one: "They'll come when they come, the same as the first 1,498 came. It's not a milestone I'm trying to get and then hang it up. They're just points along the way. Take tomorrow as it comes."

-By Melissa Keith (Nova Scotia Harness Racing Industry Association)