McNair to drive at Harrah’s Philadelphia

With racing in Ontario on hold for the foreseeable future, a number of top stables and drivers have made the decision to venture to the United States to compete in preparation for the upcoming stakes season. One such driver, Doug McNair, is hoping to make an impact at Harrah’s Philadelphia, where he will begin driving this Friday (April 23).

McNair, who has won over 3,600 races in his career, has stamped himself as one of Canada’s best, having won the 2017 O’Brien Award as Canada’s Driver of the Year and the Canadian National Driving Championship in 2018. While the 31-year-old Ontario native has conquered just about every challenge he has faced north of the border, he relishes the chance to compete against the best of the best in the States, too.

“I want to drive with the best there are to drive with, and that’s where the best are, all on the East Coast,” McNair said. “I just hope I can fit in with them. They know the horses’ tendencies more than anybody, and you can get a better grip on how the races are going to go.”

McNair, who will make his temporary home in southern New Jersey, is listed in four races on Friday’s card, and he threatens to contend with his first two: Josh Green trainee Betsea, who is the 3-1 second choice in the fourth race, an $8,800 mid-level conditioned pace for fillies and mares; and Jim Rocks, a Blake MacIntosh trainee whom McNair drove in his first qualifier last June at Woodbine Mohawk Park, in the sixth race, a $9,600 maiden pace. Four drives on a 14-race card may seem like a light work load, but McNair understands it will take time for him to gain momentum — and favor — within the local pool of horsemen:

“You’ve got to put your work in, pick up as much work as you can, and hopefully after a couple weeks, get on the better horses and make a little money,” he said.

In addition to Harrah’s Philadelphia, McNair will drive at The Downs At Mohegan Sun Pocono, Yonkers Raceway, and The Meadowlands, where he is listed on seven horses Friday night and another two Saturday (April 24).

“I’m just trying to stay busy, that’s all. It doesn’t look like we’ll be opening up for four to six weeks, so I’ll probably try to stay down there as long as I can until the stakes start back up (in Canada) — they could be a couple months, yet,” he explained.