Woodbine Mohawk Park: James MacDonald with contenders in opening round of Niagara series

The first leg of the Niagara series, a late-closing event for sophomore pacing fillies that were non-winners of $60,000 lifetime as of October 31, kicks off Friday night (November 8) at Woodbine Mohawk Park as 15 fillies have entered the fray. Two divisions were carded with $18,000 on the line in both the third and ninth race on the program. Leading driver James MacDonald is hoping to get his mounts off to a good start in the series as he’ll pilot Firstofanera in the opening division and Saldana Hanover in the second stanza.

“I haven’t driven Firstofanera,” said MacDonald on Wednesday. The filly was a sick scratch on December 1 when entered at Woodbine Mohawk Park for trainer Dave Menary. The Indiana-sired Firstofanera makes her local debut from post seven in the field of eight and arrives having won two of her last four races both at Hoosier Park. A daughter of J K Endofanera, Firstofanera is second choice in the morning line behind Occasionally Sharp (post 2) who returns to action for trainer Patrick Hunt after having been idle for the past month. Occasionally Sharp has the experience of racing against some of the premier fillies in Ontario coming up just three lengths short in an Ontario Gold start at Woodbine Mohawk back in September.

The lightly raced Alabama Hannah (post 8) picks up catch-driver Louis Philippe-Roy for the first time. The Huntsville-sired filly has won three of her nine starts this year while notably racing against weaker company primarily in New York.

MacDonald has a bit more confidence of his mount in the second division having driven Saldana Hanover on a few occasions. “She’s got a good closing kick if I can get her into the right spot,” said MacDonald. “I didn’t really give her much of a shot last time.”

Indeed, Saldana Hanover’s last outing saw her get away very slowly from the pole position and never quite recover from being over ten lengths in arrears at the halfway mark. The Anthony Montini-trained daughter of Captaintreacherous managed to make up a ton of ground and was fourth beaten just two lengths in the December 1 overnight event at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

On the board in 11 of her 16 starts this season Saldana Hanover drew post three and was tabbed the 3-1 second morning-line choice.

Ladyterra (post 4) gets the favorite nod prior to the wagering and there’s plenty of reason behind that choice. A daughter of Sweet Lou, Ladyterra has been facing stakes company in Pennsylvania this year and has won five of her eighteen starts while falling just short of the $60,000 ceiling for this event by the deadline. Ladyterra was a solid third in her first trip over this track on December 1and will be in search of her sixth win of the season in this division.

Premier Delight, recently second in the Ontario Harvest final over this surface on November 24, landed the pole position for trainer Jeffrey Hunt.

MacDonald is hoping to make the most of the last few starts on a magical season for him.

“It’s been a great year,” said MacDonald, who will be taking a family vacation in a week but expects to continue to race through the winter.

“My biggest thrill was definitely winning the She’s A Great Lady with It’s A Love Thing,” said MacDonald of the Dave Menary-trained lass. Following that victory, It’s A Love Thing had some issues according to MacDonald. “I think she tied up in the Super Final and didn’t race as well as we had expected in the Breeders Crown elimination. I’m glad she came back to finish a solid fourth in the Crown final.”

MacDonald has gone over 400 wins for the second year in a row and was able to make an impact on both sides of the border. “It was great just leading in the stretch in the Hambletonian Oaks,” said MacDonald of his journey behind Righteous Resolve who came out of the pocket to gain control only to finish third behind upset winner Heaven Hanover and Bond.

“I’m definitely looking forward to next year with It’s A Love Thing and others,” said MacDonald. “I try to be as consistent as possible every time I go on the track.”

For racing fans both in Canada and the States MacDonald has more than lived up to that.

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