The Carl and Marg MacKenzie Memorial is a stake race for 3-year-old pacing colts and fillies that were foaled in the Atlantic Provinces. Raced annually at Truro Raceway, the stake attracts the finest contenders in the Maritimes to the Bible Hill, Nova Scotia oval.
Carl MacKenzie guided the fortunes of Truro Raceway from the early 1940s until his retirement as general manager in 1974.
A native of Truro, NS, MacKenzie was instrumental in initiating many ‘firsts’ in Maritime harness racing during his tenure as general manager and race-secretary, a career that started in 1948 .
He was the secretary-treasurer manager of the Jollity Horsemen’s Club, a group of local businessmen who leased the raceway in 1948 from the Central Nova Scotia Exhibition Association and operated the track until 1958.
It was during his stewardship that night racing was introduced on a continuous basis in Nova Scotia as well as the first use of photofinish equipment and a public tote board.
MacKenzie also installed the first electronic timing system at a Nova Scotia track, employed the first starting gate and introduced win, place and show wagering where only ‘win’ betting had been available.
The Jollity Horsemen’s Club continued to make improvements to the facility, including a glassed in and heated grandstand and established the Jollity Stakes for three-year-old pacers in 1955.
When the Jollity Horsemen’s Club’s lease expired in 1958, the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition took over the operations of the raceway with MacKenzie remaining as general manager and race-secretary until his retirement in 1974.
During those formative years, Carl’s wife Margaret, who passed away in 2003, assisted and supported him in his duties. MacKenzie served for a time as secretary-treasurer of the Nova Scotia Harness Racing Association and was associated with the founding of the Atlantic Sires Stakes program.
In 1991, the Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association honoured Carl by presenting him with the Glenn Kennedy Memorial Award.
Carl and his wife operated a modest standardbred breeding farm, Wayvue Stables, and produced and campaigned several Maritime record holders, including Champ Wayvue, who became the first Maritime-bred two-year-old to break the 2:10 barrier.
Introduced to the sport as a youngster by his uncle Collie, an accomplished trainer-driver, Carl did odd jobs around the track, selling score cards and helping to groom his uncle’s horses. MacKenzie owned by his first horse at age 15.