Behind the Gate 
     
    
   
   
    
     however, Mike liked the races at home 
     
     more than that one. There was some— 
     
     thing intrinsic and indescribable about his 
     
     Victories at home in the Gold Cup and 
     
     Saucer that other victories didn't possess. 
     
     Mike believed that the race that meant 
     
     the most to him and his family was in 
     
     1995 when Sandy Hanover won the Gold 
     
     Cup and Saucer in 156.1. It was kind of 
     
     an unexpected win. His daughter. Laura 
     
     suggested that they take Sandy with them 
     
     to Charlottetown for Old Home Week. 
     
     Sandy came along for the ride and uncer- 
     
     emoniously qualified in the Trials. He 
     
     was a long shot in the final but the tal— 
     
     ented team of Mike and Sandy Hanover 
     
     earned their way to the winners’ circle in 
     
     one of the most popular wins ever in the 
     
     prestigious Gold Cup and Saucer. It was 
     
     to be Mike's fifth and biggest win in this 
     
     race. By the way, Laura had suggested 
     
     that they take that old horse again. Mike 
     
     wondered whether he should have fol— 
     
     lowed his daughter's advice. 
     
    
   
   
    
     For five decades this respected and very 
     
     capable horseman was involved in ever 
     
     aspect of this great sport. He mucked 
     
     stalls. walked horses, cleaned harness, 
     
     jogged horses, trained horses. drove hors— 
     
     es and he owned horses. The biggest 
     
     change to him over the years was the 
     
     improved, more finely tuned speed. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The aspect of the game in 1998 Mike did— 
     
     n't appreciate was when we have unqual— 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Mikeg Macflonald 
     
     ified people making decisions who 
     
     shouldn't be making decisions. For 
     
     example, to simulcast or not to simulcast. 
     
     Mike stated emphatically, “ The only way 
     
     we can get ahead is to simulcast as much 
     
     as you can. In addition, if you have to 
     
     have slots, have them. Whatever it takes 
     
     to make this business go. Our business 
     
     is never going to go back to the way it 
     
     was years ago." 
     
    
   
   
    
     Not one to avoid the controversial, Mike 
     
     also asserted. "Montreal had the most 
     
     ridiculous whipping rule in the world. 
     
     Montreal also had the most ridiculous 
     
     passing lane rule in the world; it is dif— 
     
     ferent from any other place 
     
    
   
   
    
     Mike did not hesitate when asked about 
     
     his very best experience or moment in 
     
     this game, "When I went next door and 
     
     met my wife in the next barn at Blue 
     
     Bonnets." The very personable and astute 
     
    
   
   
    
     Judy MacDonald understood and appre- 
     
    
   
   
    
     ciated the sport and business that was so 
     
     much a part of her husband‘s life. She 
     
     loved and understood horses and instant— 
     
     ly described details about many of Mike's 
     
     past horses. 
     
    
   
   
    
     There was no question about his worst 
     
     experience in harness racing. judy and 
     
     Mike concurred that it was when an 
     
     injuiy sidelined him for six months in 
     
     1989. While it wasn't always easy to 
     
     make a living in this business, with his 
     
    
   
   
    
     "You have to ma/ee up your mind to leave home at one time or anotber 
     
    
   
   
    
     ifyoa are going to ma/ee harness racing your life. ” 
     
    
   
   
    
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