by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — When Anthony MacDonald arrived at the Meadowlands Racetrack from Canada, just being able to drive at the famed oval was enough to create excitement.

After a while, though, that mere excitement was not enough. The desire to win took over.

Last Saturday, MacDonald got his first victory at the Big M. The 34-year-old has nearly 1,600 career wins to his credit, but none may be bigger. It came in his 14th race, spread over two weekends.

New Image Media photo

Anthony MacDonald drove Isthatallyagot to a 1:56.2 victory in the $119,600 OSS Gold Final on Aug. 10, 2009 at Mohawk.

“I’ve won some (Ontario Sire Stakes) Gold finals and stakes finals here or there, but my biggest win might have been at the Meadowlands,” MacDonald said. “There are not a lot of professional drivers in Canada who can say they’ve won a race at the Meadowlands. It’s a big accomplishment. It’s pretty special.”

MacDonald got the win with 16-1 shot Rescue Plan, trained by Joe Poliseno. The horse followed leader Philos Hanover for the first three-quarters of a mile before taking the lead in the stretch.

“It’s always exciting to drive at the Meadowlands, but after a while it is racing and you get a little discouraged when you don’t win,” MacDonald said. “It dawns on you at some point that it’s nice to have five or six drives there, but it’s no different than anywhere else if you can’t win.

“I’m not going to lie; Saturday night I was getting a little discouraged. But the Meadowlands is one of the only tracks I’ve been to where everybody literally has a shot depending on how the race unfolds. Take my horse. He was a $36 horse that night in that race and he legitimately looked like a $36 horse. But he got away quick to the front and got following one of the early favorites and won the race like an 8-5 shot.”

MacDonald, whose father owned a small breeding farm on Prince Edward Island, arrived at the Meadowlands to drive two trotters, Morven and Mister King, in the Super Bowl series for trainer Mark Ford. MacDonald had driven the horses in Canada for his brother, trainer James MacDonald.

Once in New Jersey, MacDonald was able to pick up additional drives.

“It all just happened so quick and by accident,” said MacDonald, who lives in Guelph, Ontario. “It’s still pretty surreal. The people there are more than willing to give somebody a shot.”

MacDonald has been traveling back and forth between New Jersey and Canada. He has been racing at Flamboro Downs, Western Fair and Woodbine in addition to the Meadowlands. It’s been a tough schedule, not just for MacDonald but also his fiancée Amy McIntyre, who is expecting a baby girl in March.

“It’s taxing on us, but at the same time it’s the Meadowlands,” MacDonald said. “When you get a chance to drive at a place like that and drive quality horses for quality trainers, I wouldn’t be doing myself any justice if I didn’t somewhat pursue it.

“My biggest thrill — the luckiest thing for me — has been meeting Amy and having a baby on the way,” he added. “I’m pretty pumped about that. It’s a shining point in my life so far, for sure.”

MacDonald has six drives at the Meadowlands on Thursday, including with Fortunes Smile in the White Ruffles series final. He would like to continue driving at the Meadowlands, but has no set plans.

“If people put me on their horses I’ll be very grateful and drive them,” said MacDonald, who won 194 races and $1.74 million last year. “I’m very grateful to everyone who has given me a chance. It really helps out and gives you a lot of confidence.

“I’m very thankful to be a driver and make a living in this business. There are a lot of people who would like to be doing what I’m doing on Thursday night, I can guarantee you that.”