Behind the Gate 1W? 
     
    
   
   
    
     Sackyille Downs and Iiarl was unable to 
     
     driye on this date. l’aul droye eight hors— 
     
     es that night and amazingly won six 
     
     dashes! The track presented him with a 
     
     beautiful plaque inscribed with the 
     
     names ol‘ the six winners which he cher~ 
     
     ished. IIe proudly explained that that 
     
     was one ol the most memorable dates in 
     
     his career. Another highlight in his career 
     
     took place on August 1:). 1993’) when be 
     
     accomplished something that many 
     
     desire but few attain. He won the presti— 
     
     gious Gold (Iup and Saucer with the tal— 
     
     ented [I'll/e B/{Icle Boo/e. Since joining the 
     
     elite but small group that haye won this 
     
     coyeted race. Paul was determined to join 
     
     the yery select few who haye won it 
     
     more than once. No matter what his busy 
     
     schedule in Ontario dictated. he always 
     
     returned Tor Old Home \V’eek on Prince 
     
     Iidward Island. IIis wile. 
     
     Hillary and 
     
    
   
   
    
     Kathy and 
     
     daughters. 'I‘ayler also 
     
     enjoyed a return Visit with family and 
     
    
   
   
    
     lriends each August. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In 3002. one ol the biggest changes that 
     
     Paul noticed in harness racing was in the 
     
     breeding. Ile explained. "The blood lines 
     
     are so line and so close. Now they come 
     
     out pacing right away and they breed 
     
     them for speed. A big change in the 
     
     industry recently in Ontario would be the 
     
     introduction of the slots. The slots haye 
     
     reyiyed the industry in Ontario. They are 
     
     keeping the small tracks aliye. They are 
     
     bringing in new horse owners and help— 
     
     ing to keep the present ones. 
     
     Simulcasting is also helping but the slots 
     
     are number one. The .\Iaritimes need a 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Paul MacKenzie 
     
    
   
   
    
     new gimmick like the slots to get new 
     
     faces and to generate money." 
     
    
   
   
    
     \V'hat did Paul \Iaclx'en/xie like most 
     
     about horse racing? He answered with— 
     
     out hesitation. "Good friends. good fun 
     
     and good money. I enjoy the competi— 
     
     tiye nature of the game. I get keyed up 
     
     for eyery race not just the big ones. 
     
     Naturally you get pumped for the big 
     
     ones a little extra like when they put the 
     
     spotlight on you Tor the post parade in 
     
     the Gold Cup and Saucer. The Island 
     
     IIymn Iiaith .\IcI\'enney sings has always 
     
     giyen me goose bumps. I haye been in 
     
     million dollar races but they don't put on 
     
     a show like they do at the (2.1).1). for the 
     
     Gold Cup and Saucer." Iiyery year he 
     
     tried to take someone new to I’.IZ.I. Tor 
     
     the big race and he stated that eyeryone 
     
     that came always wanted to return and 
     
     this included some big names. I’aul con— 
     
     tinued. "It's done up right. I’rom the time 
     
     of the Trials ‘til the big race. it's all they 
     
     talk about all week. \V'hen I brought the 
     
     Millars up. they couldn't belieye how 
     
     well they were treated. They were treat— 
     
     ed like royalty. They would stop at a 
     
     corner store and hear people talking 
     
     about [I'll/e lilac/a Boo/e. Iody Iamieson. 
     
     Mark Megens and Paul (Iameron came up 
     
    
   
   
    
     and I am sure they will return." 
     
    
   
   
    
     \\"hat Paul liked least about the game was 
     
     the fact that you haye to be at it seyen 
     
     days a week. You can‘t shut it down on 
     
     Friday for the weekend like many other 
     
     jobs. Your quality time with family sul— 
     
    
   
   
    
     l‘ers because the horses require a total 
     
    
   
   
    
     183