State Treasurer looks to collect the dough in Metro elims
August 24, 2011,by Ashley Mayotte, WEG communications
Campbellville, ON — When State Treasurer goes to post for his C$40,000 Metro Pace elimination this Saturday (August 27) at Mohawk Racetrack, he could be one step closer to making his connections’ dreams come true.
The 2-year-old colt would have to finish top three or be one lucky fourth-place finisher, which is drawn by lot, to advance to the C$1 million Metro Pace final on September 3.
Allan MacDonald believes State Treasurer has a shot to make it to the rich final.
“I think he has a good chance, but they are three very strong fields,” said the Souris, Prince Edward Island, resident. “I was looking through them and almost any colt could win this, they are all very good. I think it is very wide open.”
But who is Allan MacDonald? He might not have his name listed in the program as an owner, trainer or driver of State Treasurer, but he cannot contain his excitement when he discusses the rookie.
“We have had an awful lot of fun with him so far,” he exclaimed. “We’ve just had a ball with him. It’s just exciting every week seeing him race.”
MacDonald is a long-time horseman who once trained and drove his own horses in Charlottetown, P.E.I. As he got older, he decided he would give up training and driving and just dabble in ownership, but for the first time, his wife, Sally, co-owns the brown colt with his nephew’s wife, Sophie.
“We have put the ownership in the ladies’ name, but we (MacDonald and his nephew, Paul) are very much involved. I basically picked him out myself,” he explained.
The MacDonalds purchased the son of Real Desire-Ideal Treasure from the 2010 Harrisburg sale for a mere $6,500, a price tag that amazed them.
“We were a little bit surprised we got him as cheap as we did,” MacDonald said. “We thought he would be much more than that. I really like Real Desire colts and this fella had really good conformation, so he sort of caught my eye.”
When the yearling was brought back to P.E.I., he employed the services of trainer/driver Kenny Arsenault to break and train State Treasurer.
“I remember the first time Kenny trained him,” MacDonald recalled. “When he came in, we were both quite amazed. He said to me, ‘This colt is real special.’ He’s been good right from the beginning.”
When the freshman was ready at the beginning of July, he was shipped to Ontario into the care of trainer Dr. Ian Moore, who MacDonald met when Dr. Moore lived in P.E.I.
In two lifetime starts, State Treasurer has one win and a third-place finish, which was in one of Saturday’s $117,699 Nassagaweya divisions.
Also, he has banked $22,793 in earnings, which is just over triple his purchase price, but it was his drop in time between his qualifier in 1:57.1 and his first lifetime start that stunned the ex-trainer/driver.
“The 1:52.3 time shocked me,” he said. “We thought coming into the first start he would go around (1):54. I was surprised especially with the last quarter in :26.1, very impressive for a colt for his first start.”
MacDonald is thrilled not only to have a colt that is well mannered, intelligent and good gaited, but also to have a colt that is good enough to race at the top level in North America.
“Last week, the Nassagaweya would probably be the biggest race we’ve ever been in,” he said. “I would just race in the local stakes down here, nothing like this.
“It’s kind of been a lifetime dream to have a colt in the Metro. It is all really exciting for us.”
State Treasurer will leave from post six in the fourth race (second elimination) on Saturday evening for driver Paul MacDonell. The two other Metro Pace eliminations are slated for races two and six. First race post time is 7:10 p.m.
Following are the Metro elimination fields in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers.
Elim One: 1. Escape The News, J. Moiseyev, J. Holloway; 2. Machapelo, S. Zeron, M. Keeling; 3. Simply Business, R. Pierce, J. Takter; 4. Major Bombay, B. Sears, T. Alagna; 5. Damon Blue Chip, T. Tetrick, B. Brown; 6. Red Carpet Dude, J. Jamieson, S. McDonald; 7. D Terminata, Ra. Waples, R. McIntosh; 8. Ideal Ike, D. Miller, E. Miller.
Elim Two: 1. Speed Again, J. Jamieson, J. Gillis; 2. I Fought Dalaw, D. Miller, S. DePinto; 3. Rockweiller, T. Tetrick, J. Takter; 4. Ideal Champ, B. Sears, J. Holloway; 5. Shakerattlenrock, S. Zeron, S. McEneny; 6. State Treasurer, P. MacDonell, I. Moore; 7. Dapper Dude, Ra. Waples, R. McIntosh; 8. Gable Blue Chip, R. Pierce, T. Umphrey.
Elim Three: 1. Mel Mara, Y. Gingras, T. Alagna; 2. Allstar Legend, T. Tetrick, B. Teague; 3. Mcboogie, A. Miller, J. Miller; 4. Special Blend, K. Oliver, B. Wallace; 5. Spinarama, P. MacDonell, I. Moore; 6. A Rocknroll Dance, R. Pierce, J. Mulinix; 7. Special Forces, D. Miller, B. Brown; 8. Hurrikane Kingcole, L. Ouellette, D. Tackoor; 9. Best Ears, S. Zeron, J. Takter.
- Millers hope to ‘boogie’ the night away in Metro (Wednesday, August 24, 2011)
Mcboogie is one of the largest horses in trainer Julie Miller’s stable. If all goes well in Canada over the next two weekends, his stature could grow to match his size.