Hard work is paying off for driver Mark MacDonald as he handles 7-5 morning-line favorite Bolt The Duer in the $306,204 Art Rooney Pace for 3-year-olds tonight at Yonkers Raceway.
MacDonald has just been at Yonkers since the end of February, but already has cracked the top 10 in the driver standings.
Though his colt is the favorite in the race, MacDonald said he believes the 3-year-old bay is flying under the radar.
“Nobody’s really written about this horse yet but they will,” he said. “He’s a very special horse. [Trainer] Peter Foley has done a great job. Any time you have a horse that’s that manageable to drive somebody did something right.’’
Bolt The Duer will start from Post 1, which is by the far the top dash-winning post position at the Hilltop, not to mention, if Bolt should be the post-time favorite, they win almost half the races at Yonkers.
So MacDonald said he knows he’s in a good spot and that’s not even factoring in how talented his colt is.
“He’s got a lot going for him,” he said. “Of course, I’m going to leave and protect my position and I would like to race him on the front and cut it but I don’t have to.’’
The Art Rooney is race six on a 13-race program and has an estimated post time of 8:50 p.m. The first race gets underway at 7:10 p.m.
The sister event to the Rooney, the $176,484 Lismore for 3-year-old filly pacers, is race four on the card and features 3-5 morning-line choice Handsoffmycookie.
