25 August 2021 | KATHY PARKER
IT was a hot Sunday afternoon at the Red Mile in Lexington and brothers Andy and Todd McCarthy were as busy as they had been the prior day when they won half the Sun Stakes Saturday card at the Downs at Mohegan Sun at Pocono. And just as successful.
The McCarthy brothers won seven of 14 races on the big card at Pocono and followed it up by catching a morning flight from Philadelphia to Louisville, making the 1 hour and 15-minute drive to Lexington, and winning six of the 10 races on the Red Mile program.
The McCarthy brothers have clearly established their presence among the Top 10 drivers in North America.
Through Sunday at the Red Mile, Andrew ranked seventh on the leading money-winning drivers’ list with $4.7 million in purses while Todd was ninth with $4.2 million.
With those figures and the customary five per cent fee that goes to drivers, both are on track to attain incomes of at least $200,000 (U.S.) this year.
Andrew’s best year in North America was 2019, when he drove the winners of $7.6 million.
In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he drove the winners of $6.6 million, but achieved career highlights when he won the Hambletonian with Ramona Hill and captured the first edition of the Mohawk Million Two-Year-Old Colt Trot with Venerate.
Both McCarthys are regularly driving competitive horses this year, but a couple do stand out for each of the reinsmen.
“I’ve been lucky enough to drive a lot of very good horses this year,” said Todd, 28, who didn’t start driving in the U.S. until last year. “Most recently, Allywag Hanover has been an exciting horse to drive, and winning with Grace Hill at Pocono was great.”
Todd McCarthy pictured winning on Allywag Hanover. Photo by Curtis Salonich.
Todd won the $75,000 Always B Miki Invitational with Allywag Hanover on Saturday at Pocono.
Despite starting from the outside barrier 7, McCarthy made sure he controlled the race with Allywag Hanover and the horse delivered, winning by 1 ½ lengths in 1:47 2/5ths, a time which equals the world record for a five-eighths mile track.
Todd picked up the drive on Grace Hill in the $250,000 James Lynch Memorial Three-Year-Old Filly Pace when Andrew decided to stay with Hot Mess Express, who drew the far outside 9 barrier, which proved too tough to overcome.
Hot Mess Express was undefeated in seven starts this year going into the Lynch and is one horse Andrew says he especially looks forward to driving.
Andy and Todd McCarthy in ‘race mode’ at the Red Mile.
With Andrew and Todd regularly driving at the same tracks and in the same races, competing as drivers is something they say they keep on the track.
“We’ve never had words after a race,” said Todd, who prior to coming to the U.S. often drove against his brother, Luke, in Australia.
“For us, family and racing are two separate things. We leave it on the track.”
Andrew, the older brother at age 35, agreed. “What happens on the track stays on the track.”
Since Todd has only been in the U.S. since last September, he says he’s fine with not being able to go home to visit family and friends.
“I love it here,” he said. “It’s a pretty easy place to live.”
Andrew and his wife, Katrina, are both settled into life in America, with Andrew driving his first full season in the U.S. in 2007.
Earlier this year he received his American citizenship. Katrina is also a dual citizen of Australia and the United States.
“We miss not being able to travel back to Australia or have visitors,” said Andrew.
“My kids, ages five and seven, miss their grandparents a lot. It’s definitely hard. I would love to go home for a month or so in the winter, but now my kids are in school.”
With no way of knowing when they might get back to Australia, the McCarthy brothers send their best to those back home.
“I’ve got a lot of friends down there and people I worked with, people who gave me opportunities, and I hope everyone is well,” said Todd.
“I wish everyone a lot of good health and that they can stay safe, and that people get vaccinated,” said Andrew. “The sooner everyone gets vaccinated, the world can become the smaller place it once was again.”
Big McCarthy Wins
Todd:
- Grace Hill in the $250,000 James Lynch Memorial Aug. 21 at Pocono
- Darlene Hanover in the $250,000 Delmonica Hanover Aug. 21 at Pocono
- Allywag Hanover in the $265,400 William Haughton Memorial & $158,500 Sam McKee Memorial on Hambletonian Day at Meadowlands
Andrew:
- Ramona Hill in the 2020 Hambletonian
- Venerate in the 2020 Mohawk Million
- Whichwaytothebeach in the $200,000 Max Hempt Memorial Consolation 1 on Aug. 21 at Pocono
Kathy Parker is Editor of Hoof Beats magazine, the official publication of the United States Trotting Association. She is a member of the Harness Racing Communicators’ Hall of Fame and wife of well-known track curator Daniel Coon.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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