Canada's leading driver James MacDonald opened Friday night (Oct. 6) with a victory in the Pop-Up Series at Woodbine Mohawk Park and kept the wins coming all night long.
St Lads Dark Angel was the first of five winners on the 11-race card for MacDonald, taking a $15,000 division of a Pop-Up Series for Ontario-sired three-year-old pacing fillies.
MacDonald sent St Lads Dark Angel first-over from midfield on the backstretch and caught the runaway leader and 4-5 favourite, Starlight Dancer, right at the finish line for the 6-1 upset in 1:54 flat. The Control The Moment filly, who had been racing at Tioga Downs over the past few months for trainer Dan Gassien and owner Jemaxpo Racing Stable, paid $15.20 to win.
MacDonald swept the early Daily Double ($50.10) with two-year-old pacing filly Peeler ($4.20) scoring a 1:53 maiden-breaking victory by a head in the next race for trainer Bob McIntosh.
The Guelph, Ont. reinsman also won the fifth race with four-year-old pacing mare Goudawon ($9.30) in 1:51.4 for trainer Tommy Riley and the ninth race with eight-year-old trotter The Lionking As ($8.60) in 1:56 for Boyd Wilson before capping off the card with the Anthony Montini-trained sophomore filly Saldana Hanover ($4.50) making a winner's circle appearance after a career-best 1:52.2 mile.
MacDonald has driven 336 winners so far in 2023 and his mounts have accumulated more than $8.67 million in purse earnings, most of which earned in Canada to top the national driver standings.
The Pop-Up Series, for non-winners of $20,000 in 2023 with a minimum five starts, also included a pair of opening leg divisions for the colts and geldings. The winners were Uriel Blue Chip ($11.90) in a 1:52.2 close call with Louis-Philippe Roy in the bike for the Chantal Mitchell stable and the Victor Puddy-trained TF Rocketman ($5) in 1:54.3 with Jonathan Drury aboard.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.