Behind the Gate " w 
     
     ‘g 
     
     years were Ileath (Iampbell. (Iordie l’ord. 
     
     George .\Iilton. 'l'immy 1\lcl\'innon and 
     
     \X’ayne Dunn. 
     
    
   
   
    
     'I‘he standardbred industry has been for- 
     
     tunate to haye had many role models and 
     
     people to emulate like l)el .\Iiller. Ioe 
     
     O'Brien. Billy Ilaughton and others. I 
     
     asked Paul to name the person he 
     
     respected the most in this industry. He 
     
     answered quickly. ".lohn (Iampbell 
     
     because he is a true professional. He is a 
     
     classy gentleman who driyes so well and 
     
     knows how to conduct himself with the 
     
     media and the public. He is so good with 
     
     people. He understands the business. 
     
     He is so talented. so well respected and 
     
    
   
   
    
     so well liked all oyer the world." 
     
    
   
   
    
     Paul .\IacI\'en‘/.ie was an accomplished 
     
     driyer and trainer with lifetime statistics 
     
     that most in the industry could only 
     
     dream about. I asked him whether he 
     
     preferred to train or driye. He answered. 
     
     "\Vhen you are winning races. dri\ing is 
     
     great. \\'hen you aren't then you like the 
     
     training. The thing I like about training is 
     
     going to the sale to buy a yearling. You 
     
     deyclop that horse through his career 
     
     until he makes the races. It really makes 
     
     you proud," I’aul did this with [Mfr 
     
    
   
   
    
     (fume/la. a (lum/uc/e filly that he co— 
     
    
   
   
    
     owned with Ralph Lake and ylohn 
     
     (Zhristan. She made them oyet‘ 8100.000 
     
     and ended up with a record of 1:31, 
     
    
   
   
    
     Paul’s stable usually numbered from nine 
     
     to 13 horses depending on the season In 
     
     the summer with catch—driyes. stakes and 
     
     so much trayeling. it cut down on his 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Paul MacKenzie 
     
    
   
   
    
     training. 
     
    
   
   
    
     If he had to choose to do only 
     
     training or driying. he would choose the 
     
     latter because of his success. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Does Paul MacKenzie prefer driying a 
     
     trotter or a pacer? He responded. "I think 
     
     there is a big difference because a trotter 
     
     has a much different gait and you ha\e to 
     
     steady him in places. \\’ith a pacer. you 
     
     can pull his hobbies up or let them out 
     
     depending on the circumstances. A trot— 
     
     ter is often a little tricky off the gate: you 
     
     must be careful in the first turn and 
     
     where you moye him during the mile. I 
     
     loye driying and training a trotter because 
     
     A trotter 
     
    
   
   
    
     requires more patience. careful shoeing 
     
    
   
   
    
     of the challenge it presents. 
     
    
   
   
    
     and is more of a challenge than a pacer; 
     
     howeyer. success with a trotter can be 
     
    
   
   
    
     yei'y rewarding." 
     
    
   
   
    
     ’I‘his talented horseman with the familiar 
     
     redAblack~wliite driying colors did not set 
     
     specific goals each year. He explained. “I 
     
     am not really into stats but if they are 
     
     good and you ha\e a little luck. that's 
     
     fine, I don't ha\e specific goals. If you 
     
     can keep your health and don‘t get hurt. 
     
     these are my main goals. You might be 
     
     at the right place at the right time and get 
     
     the right driyes but it works in reyerse 
     
     also. I try to keep my own horses good 
     
     and hope to be in the right place as far 
     
     as catch—driyes go. I wouldn’t mind get~ 
     
     ting a shot at winning the Confederation 
     
     It would also 
     
     .\'orth 
     
    
   
   
    
     American (Iup at \V'oodbine. Of course. a 
     
    
   
   
    
     (Iup at l’lamboro Downs. 
     
    
   
   
    
     be nice to get a shot at the 
     
    
   
   
    
     second (i()l(l (Iup and Saucer is yery 
     
     important to me." 
     
     185