Last week's qualifiers at Woodbine Mohawk Park featured a return to action for Hall of Fame driver Randy Waples. There was another familiar face back in the bike for the session on Friday, March 22 — that of Bob McClure.
McClure, who sustained a broken femur in a snowmobile accident in mid-January, indicated to Trot Insider earlier this month that a return to action was imminent following successful surgery, physiotherapy and hyperbaric chamber treatments.
"Things progressed a lot faster than expected," said McClure in an update posted on March 13, stating at that time he was essentially ready to rock but thought he'd wait to drive again after the break in live harness racing at the Campbellville oval from March 24 - 29.
On Friday morning, McClure made his unannounced return during a snowy 10-dash qualifying session. Not listed on the entries, McClure found himself participating in eight of the 10 qualifiers carded.
"It wasn't planned but John Pentland had asked me to come school a filly for him, and I said, 'yeah, no problem.' I got there and Keith Jones, one of my main trainers for a while, he asked if I could go with his three and then it kind of snowballed from there.
"I biked about eight horses Tuesday, Wednesday in Florida, so I knew I was fine to sit in the bike. So that was no issue. You don't know how you're going to be when you get out on the track with racing and the vibration at race speed but I got to see that today and everything was fine. So, good to go."
McClure does have one drive slated for Saturday, March 23 at Mohawk and then plans on a full-time return to action once racing resumes next week.
Coming off his second best year for earnings having driven winners of more than $6.2 million in 2023, McClure has won 3,345 races in his career. The 2020 O'Brien Award winner praised those that aided in his quick return to action, including Brooke Goodfellow of Grand River Physiotherapy, trainer Terry McCann of Staying Alive Fitness and Dr. Michael Venneri for his hyperbaric chamber sessions.
The video stream from the Friday session will be posted when available.
A reminder that Woodbine Mohawk Park is closed from Monday, March 24 to Friday, March 29, with training and racing resuming on Saturday, March 30. There will be an early post time on Saturday evening of 6:10 p.m.
For results from the qualifying session, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).
(Standardbred Canada)