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Fan Guide


Paul MacDonell

Full name: Paul J. MacDonell
Born: 01/29/1963
Birthplace: Oshawa, ON
Residence: Guelph, ON
Height: 5-foot-9
Colors: Red-White
Career & Personal Highlights Multimedia
Photos taken by award winning USTA photographers are available for purchase in our online store.

MacDonell in the News
• Lawrencetown Beach on the rise heading into NA Cup eliminations
• The Horse That Changed My Life: Paul MacDonell
• Lindy's Tru Grit rallies late for Woodbine Preferred win
• Code One Hanover gives MacDonell another OSS Super Final
• Melmerby Beach to follow in famous hoofsteps for MacDonell
• MacDonell joins 5,000 win club
• Classy trotting filly aiming for Gold final success Thursday
• Unred Hanover sweeps the Town Pro Series at Mohawk


Career

2010 marked the 27th straight season that MacDonell won more than 100 races and the 25th in a row that he earned $1 million...Started his career working with the Doug Brown stable before going out on his own...He won his first race in 1981 in only his third lifetime start…In 1987 and 1988 MacDonell was the leading driver at Charlottetown Driving Park…In recent years, he has been a regular on the Woodbine Entertainment Group circuit…The first big victory in MacDonell’s career came in 1990 when he drove longshot Bay’s Fella to a surprising triumph in the Breeders Crown Horse & Gelding Pace at Pompano…During the ‘90s, he made his mark as the catch-driver of choice for the powerful Bill Wellwood Stable…Among the outstanding horses Paul handled for Wellwood were Village Connection and Village Jasper…Recent years saw MacDonell as the exclusive driver for the pacing colt Somebeachsomewhere, the 2007 co-Horse of the Year in Canada and a Dan Patch Award divisional champion in the U.S., and the 2008 Horse of the Year in both countries…2008 O’Brien Award winner as Canada’s Driver of the Year.
Personal

Greatest moment in racing was winning 2008 North America Cup with Somebeachsomewhere…favorite food is seafood, especially lobster…first car was a 1977 Chevy Vega…first job was mucking stalls for his father…favorite hobby is golf…has two dogs, Rhys and Riley…is neat and tidy…favorite TV show is “Family Guy”…proudest of having three “unique” daughters…motivated by the “natural high" you get from winning races. 		 
Career Driving Statistics & Major Wins
Year Starts 1sts Rank 2nds 3rds UDR Money Won Rank
2023 149 16 12 18 .192 458,486
2022 329 53 38 43 .269 1,429,182
2021 329 46 32 32 .226 1,132,511
2020 314 28 40 31 .193 564,234
2019 538 52 48 62 .185 1,122,364
2018 485 59 53 53 .219 1,158,266
2017 583 56 58 74 .194 966,408
2016 862 98 80 90 .200 2,006,525
2015 983 91 100 105 .185 2,003,023
2014 1114 134 122 112 .215 3,193,153
2013 938 114 102 106 .220 2,691,421
2012 1074 103 113 125 .193 3,115,022
2011 1097 125 109 119 .205 3,202,696
2010 1499 152 170 180 .204 4,201,768
2009 1401 178 152 143 .221 5,243,215 (22)
2008 1573 195 161 159 .215 7,656,325 (13)
2007 1800 261 202 186 .242 7,548,544 (13)
2006 1903 254 225 188 .232 5,824,859 (13)
2005 1846 263 214 211 .245 6,720,775 (7)
2004 1839 230 217 195 .226 5,865,450 (10)
2003 1751 231 213 168 .231 4,518,379 (15)
2002 1680 244 186 190 .244 4,555,989 (13)
2001 1292 146 149 139 .213 4,335,605 (17)
2000 1678 198 197 191 .221 3,282,026 (24)
1999 1176 108 114 131 .183 2,093,951
1998 971 120 103 115 .222 2,530,938
1997 1116 164 133 114 .247 3,769,751 (13)
1996 1129 137 122 145 .224 2,077,649
1995 1254 157 163 117 .229 3,355,827 (15)
1994 1287 152 159 140 .223 2,395,321 (18)
1993 1212 149 147 148 .231 1,758,195
1992 1354 195 178 160 .256 2,409,908 (19)
1991 1176 157 136 153 .241 1,969,337 (19)
1990 980 102 116 132 .215 1,457,662
1989 916 106 93 112 .213 1,208,085
1988 1193 136 149 152 .226 1,481,696
1987 1210 162 165 139 .248 1,443,082
1986 929 142 120 135 .273 1,322,022
1985 1133 131 149 137 .229 864,099
1984 843 128 109 92 .260 676,693
1983 573 89 69 78 .268 176,198
1982 562 94 77 102 .304 80,370
1981 38 5 9 3 .289 3,843
46109 5761 5304 5225 .000 113,870,853 (21)
 

ART ROONEY
(95) Village Connection

BREEDERS CROWN (2cp)
(05) Jereme’s Jet

BREEDERS CROWN (2ct)
(01) Duke of York

BREEDERS CROWN (3cp)
(97) Village Jasper
(08) Somebeachsomewhere

BREEDERS CROWN (Hp)
(90) Bay’s Fella
(94) Village Jiffy

BREEDERS CROWN (Ht)
(91) Billyjojimbob

BREEDERS CROWN (Mt)
(93) Lifetime Dream

CONFEDERATION CUP
(95) Village Connection
(97) Village Jasper
(98) Rustler Hanover
(04) Sparkler
(08) Somebeachsomewhere

ELEGANTIMAGE
(04) Mystical Sunshine
(08) Lantern Kronos

GOVERNOR’S CUP
(05) Jereme’s Jet

GRADUATE
(02) Camotion

HOOSIER CUP
(03) Jr Mint

MESSENGER
(08) Somebeachsomewhere

METRO
(97) Rustler Hanover
(05) Jereme’s Jet
(07) Somebeachsomewhere

NORTH AMERICA CUP
(08) Somebeachsomewhere

TATTERSALLS PACE
(08) Somebeachsomewhere

WELLWOOD MEMORIAL
(05) Was It A Dream
(06) Laddie

WILLIAM HAUGHTON MEMORIAL
(94) Village Jiffy

WINDY CITY
(95) Village Connection
(98) Take Down The Flag