MacDonald eyeing Adios Pace for a record

Hightstown, NJ — Three harness racing drivers this century have won the Meadowlands Pace and Adios in the same year. Each time, the driver captured those races with different horses. James MacDonald can take the first step toward duplicating that feat on Saturday.

MacDonald, who won the Meadowlands Pace this past Saturday with Legendary Hanover, will drive Huntingforchrome (Huntsville-All On Top Hanover) in the first of two $25,000 eliminations for the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, for 3-year-old pacers, at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

Huntingforchrome will enter the race off a 1:48.1 victory in a 3-year-old open at The Meadowlands on Pace night with MacDonald in the sulky. He paced his last quarter in :25.2; only one horse came home faster that night at the Big M.

“It’s cool,” MacDonald said about heading to the Adios with Huntingforchrome. “He felt like a nice horse, just the way he did it.” 

Last week, Huntingforchrome was first to the opening turn from post five, then saw Rush In and McCrunch go by on their way to a :26.1 quarter and :54 half. He was fourth on the pylons when the field reached three-quarters in 1:22.1, then angled out in the stretch to sprint past his foes on his way to winning by 1-3/4 lengths over Remember The Alamo.

“He followed along great and when I needed him, he flew,” MacDonald said. “Those are all good qualities to have. Going to a five-eighths of a mile track (at The Meadows), it was good to see him have a lot of gate speed and then settle in nicely. He raced super.”

The three drivers to win the Pace and Adios in the same year this century were Brian Sears in 2019 with Best In Show in the Pace and Southwind Ozzi in the Adios, Ron Pierce in 2011 with Roll With Joe in the Pace and Alsace Hanover in the Adios, and John Campbell in 2002 with Mach Three in the Pace and Million Dollar Cam in the Adios.

MacDonald and Huntingforchrome will begin their quest to reach the Adios final from post four in an elimination field of seven. He is one of three Adios hopefuls trained by Travis Alexander, is the third choice on the morning line at 4-1.

The first four finishers in each elim, along with the fifth-place finisher with the higher lifetime earnings, return on Adios Day (Saturday, July 27) for the $350,000 final. Connections of the elimination winners get to pick their post positions for the final, with the other posts determined by random draw.

“He definitely looks like a player,” MacDonald said about Huntingforchrome. “He drew pretty good, so hopefully we can get a good trip and get the job done.”

Captain Luke, who finished fourth in the Meadowlands Pace, is the 9-5 favorite in the first elimination, leaving from post six for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Tony Alagna. Captain Albano, the 2023 Dan Patch Award winner for best 2-year-old male pacer, is the 2-1 favorite in the second elim, starting from post five for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Noel Daley.

MacDonald appeared in his first Adios last year, when he missed by a head with Redwood Hanover despite racing with a flat tire the last half mile.

“That was a heartbreaker,” MacDonald said. “It was a tough pill to swallow, but it was definitely a fun experience.”

Speaking of fun experiences, Legendary Hanover’s stakes-record 1:46.3 victory last week in the Meadowlands Pace might be difficult to top. Only one 3-year-old has ever won a race with a faster time, Confederate with a 1:46.1 score last year at Lexington’s Red Mile.

“It was definitely good to see him get his shining moment on Saturday,” said MacDonald, who drove Legendary Hanover for trainer Anthony Beaton and owners Eric Good, West Wins Stable, and Mark Dumain. “We’ve always known he’s had the ability, and we were just waiting for that big moment — and he finally got it.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the horse and Tony, and everyone involved. It’s a great group of connections. He’s some kind of horse. I’m happy to be along for the ride.”

MacDonald is still in the process of having the experience sink in.

“It’s been a whirlwind since Saturday,” he said. “I haven’t really had time to sit back and reflect and appreciate how special it was as of yet, but I will. Those wins don’t come along very often, so you’ve really got to find time to bask in it, for sure.”

Racing begins at 12:45 p.m. (EDT) Saturday at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. For the day’s complete entries, click here. For free race programs, click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA