Woodbine Mohawk Park: MacDonald with a solid "Gold" hand in Super Finals

There will be C$2.4 million on the line this weekend at Woodbine Mohawk Park as the Ontario Sires Stakes program hosts eight C$300,000 Super Finals for the best rookie and sophomore pacing and trotting colts and fillies. Leading driver James MacDonald tries not to let the purse value impact the way he prepares for his assignments, and that will be to his benefit as he's listed in seven of the eight finals with a host of favorites and contenders.

"I try to approach it like it's just another night," said MacDonald, who confessed that be does get a little extra-focused on the days in advance of the big races. "When it comes time to go on the track it's just like any other race."

MacDonald starts off his two-day excursion with power in the third race on Friday, the Super Final for 2-year-old trotting fillies.

"She's won all five Gold divisions," said MacDonald describing his mount Willys Home Run. "And she raced great in the Peaceful Way."

Willys Home Run drew post 10 and while that could have been a bit of a concern, MacDonald seems confident the Archangel-sired miss can overcome.

"She's got good gate speed and she won two starts back from post 10, so I don't think it's an issue," said MacDonald.

Trainer Shawn Steacy believes his Rhythm Of Life (post eight) has an outside chance.

"She's been a pleasant surprise," Steacy said of the Muscle Mass-sired filly that has worked her way from the Grassroots company all the way to the Super Final.

Despite drawing post two with It's A Love Thing, the She's A Great Lady champion, MacDonald is a bit cautious considering what he's up against in the Super Final for juvenile pacing fillies carded as race four.

"Dave [trainer Menary] really liked her a lot training down and he asked me whether we should start her in the Grassroots or the Gold and I told him to go with the Grassroots," said MacDonald. "After that first start you could see that she just wanted to pass horses and was determined to win."

It's a Love Thing has won six of her nine starts this year, but MacDonald knows this division won't be easy.

"There's some serious fillies in here. It's more of a Grand Circuit group than an Ontario Sires," said MacDonald.

While It's A Love Thing has post advantage, there is plenty of power to her outside, with Pass Line (post seven), a winner in four straight stakes races, perhaps the sharpest. That one sports a 1:49 2/5 career-best when she defeated It's A Love Thing in a September 2 Gold division at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Trainer Matt Bax has a pair of juvenile trotting colts that are likely contenders in the Super Final that goes as race six on the program.

"Elegant Resolve has been getting better with each start," said Bax. "He was exceptional in his last start [September 29]. He got roughed up a bit on the lead and then was fighting to the wire. I think if the trips were reversed, he could have won."

Bax has high expectations as well for Soar Higher (post five), a gelded son of Resolve that enters the final with just one victory but has earned C$211K in the process.

"He was a little too worked up last time and made a break," said Bax of the miscue in a September 29 Gold division.

Chris Christoforou will be in the bike replacing MacDonald, who guides Elegant Resolve. "I think Chris is perfect for the horse," said Bax.

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Though Chain Gang drew post 10 in the final for juvenile pacing colts and geldings (race seven), MacDonald really likes his chances.

"He's been a great horse all year," said MacDonald of the Bettor's Delight-sired colt. "Nick [trainer Gallucci] will have him ready. He qualified strongly last week."

Chain Gang has won three of his seven starts this year and was a solid second behind Legendary Hanover in the Champlain.

"He got locked in in the Metro elimination," said MacDonald. "He wasn't any good in the Metro final, but he had some issues going into that race."

Despite MacDonald's confidence, post 10 could prove a tall task in this division given the placement of Funtime Bayama (post one). A gelded son of He's Watching, Funtime Bayama has won his last four starts, showcasing his talents not just over the seven-eighths surface at Woodbine Mohawk but over the half mile track at Flamboro where he coasted to a 1:52 4/5 win in the final Gold on October 1.

Mirage Hanover (post six) is another with some serious credentials, having won half of his eight starts to date for trainer Scott McEneny. A Grand Circuit winner, Mirage Hanover has earned in excess of C$206K this year with a 1:50 4/5 mark.

Turning to Saturday's program, MacDonald hopes he can get on track quickly with Righteous Resolve (post one) in the C$300,000 Super Final for sophomore trotting fillies.

"For a moment there I thought she was going to win the Hambletonian Oaks," MacDonald said when speaking of Righteous Resolve. On the board in all 20 of her career starts, Righteous Resolve enters the Super Final following a strong effort in a Gold division on October 2 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

"If I had to describe her in one word, I'd say professional," Matt Bax said of the filly he's conditioned for the last two years. Righteous Resolve faces eight others in the sixth race on Saturday.

MacDonald will again start from the pole position in the seventh race, the Super Final for sophomore pacing fillies, with Savethelastdance.

"She got a little wild at the end of last year and was hard to handle," said MacDonald of the Bettor's Delight-sired filly. "Nick [Gallucci] has done a good job with her and she's gotten better."

MacDonald's last Super Final mount may mean the most to him, and that's because Hasty Bid (post seven), one of the top contenders in the eighth race C$300,000 Super Final for sophomore trotting colts and geldings, is co-owned by him along with trainer Paige Austin.

"It's just been a fantastic experience," said MacDonald. "He's raced great in the Sires Stakes and finished strongly in the Canadian Trotting Classic."

Hasty Bid has been first or second in eight of his 11 starts this year, and MacDonald hopes to put the finishing touches on with a Super Final win on Saturday.

"He showed me a lot last week on the front-end, he really dug in late to get the win," said MacDonald of the October 2 Gold victory at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Hasty Bid faces a solid field that includes Hambo finalists Ghostly Casper (post four) and Osceola (post six).

Trainer Shawn Steacy has a pair for the C$300,000 Super Final for sophomore pacing colts and geldings (race nine) that he believes could upset.

"Obviously Stockade Seelster is the one to beat," Steacy said. "Better B Bold [post four] got a late start but he's been getting better and better each week."

Better B Bold enters the final following a pair of victories, the last came on October 5 in a Gold where he closed from seventh at the half to win.

"He's got a big closing kick," said Steacy, who hopes there's a pace to close off on Saturday.

As for Macs Delight (post seven), Steacy's second entry in the field of eight, "He's a nice horse that's got quick speed. If he's in position late he could surprise," Steacy said.

Both weekend cards at Woodbine Mohawk Park this weekend get underway at 7:10 P.M. (EDT).