By Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
For 12 years, from 1998 to 2010, Darren McCall was one of hottest trainers going around in North America, but the Queensland 54-year-old admitted last Wednesday’s Redcliffe win wasn’t much different to winning a coveted Breeders Crown in Canada or the USA.
“Sure, there’s the prestige and big money up for grabs in the big ones, but a race is a race. Despite the emotion, or race status, it’s not much different to winning at The Meadowlands, as it is at Redcliffe, or Marburg. You still want to win, and when the race is done, you focus on winning the next event – no matter where it is,” McCall said.
“The whole purpose of this game is to win your next race. I love winning. Who doesn’t? It’s what drives me. It’s my living,” he added.
The Tamborine horseman’s CV is impressive to say the least.
In North America he won 395 races and more than $13m in purses, comprising two Breeders Crowns with Corleone Kosmos (1:51.2 – $2,141,310 ); a Roses Are Red Pace with Tug River Princess Tug River Princess (1:49.3 – $1,858,219); a Metro Pace with Camelot Hall (1:49.0 – $856,639); a Milton Stakes with Southwind Tempo (1:48.2 – $2,445,541); and numerous other features that are equivalent to Group 1 status in Australia, including another top pacer, Deuce Seelster (1:49.4 – $1,149,825).
He also set a world record – McCall’s personal favourite – when Carolina Sunshine ($1,388,062) paced a scintillating 1:48.4 mile on June 14, 2003, at the now-closed Woodbine track in Ontario, Canada. That record still stands.
In his homeland he also boasts five Group Twos, seven Group Threes, and one Listed Classic event.
But McCall insists last Wednesday’s (October 23) $6,200 NR49-54 Pace in race four at Redcliffe Raceway was just as satisfying.
The 1,780m Pace won by his 4-year-old Warrawee Needy mare, Miss Froufrou, put a big smile on McCall’s face thanks to a confident Leonard Cain drive.
“She’s back to where I want her – close to 100 per cent. Of the older aged horses I train, I think she has the most potential. She wasn’t far behind the best Oaks horses when she was two and three, but then she had to be defibrillated (heart) in Sydney, and that illness cost her all momentum.
“She had several months off, and I have looked after her since. I think she’s finally got her confidence back after that big setback, and could easily win races on a Saturday night in the city,” McCall said.
On Wednesday Ms Froufrou drew three, and sat parked before darting away at the 500m. The $4.60 fourth favourite then hung on to win by 1.9 metres, with a 1:57.7 mile-rate. Her sectionals were 27.7, 31.7, 28.7, and 30.8.
Miss Froufrou is owned by the estate of Ronnie McCall, A K Johansen, R E Okkerman, L G Okkerman, P Wear, J L Maas, and K Kavanagh; and was bred by Yirribee Pacing Stud in Gobbagombalin (NSW).
It was the bay mare’s sixth win in 36 starts, and first from 14 attempts this season. She has also placed nine times and banked $98,908 in stakes.
“She’s a nice horse when right. She placed in the Group One NSW Breeders Challenge in 2022, and also won the ($65,000) APG Gold Bullion 3yo Final at Albion Park in April last year. That’s when she recorded her personal best mile of 1:55.8,” said McCall, who drove and trained her on both occasions.
Miss Froufrou is one of 16 horses McCall has in work, comprising three yearlings, six 2-year-olds, and seven aged horses.
He also has a lot of time for 5-year-old Creatine brown gelding, Fenomenal.
“He’s a nice trotter who I drove to win in consecutive races at Albion Park recently (September 17 and October 15). He’s won seven races (four this season), and I think he can win a few more,” said McCall.
The second eldest in a family of five siblings – Norman, Lisa, Sharon, and Brian – says he would not be the horseman he is today had it not been for his late parents, unofficial Redcliffe Hall-of-Famer, Ronnie, and his mother Beryl.
“It all came down to Mum and Dad, and what they installed in me. They said if you don’t pay attention to detail, then you stuff up the details. ‘The slightest mistake can be the difference between winning and losing’, Dad said. He was meticulous.
“When other kids were playing sport, I was helping Dad and driving my mini pony. I wasn’t allowed out to play unless I did my homework and then paid attention to my pony. Mum insisted I picked his feet, groomed him, and basically had him spot on every day before I got free time.
“Those strict rules turned me into the horseman I am today. Without that discipline I don’t think I would have had the success I’ve had. Even today attention to detail is paramount,” McCall said.
Born in the north-west Sydney suburb of Windsor, McCall relocated with his family to Queensland when he was just 11 months old. He grew up in Knight Street adjacent to his favourite track – Redcliffe Paceway, and was educated at Redcliffe State High School and then Caboolture State High School when his family moved again to Morayfield.
“I worked for Dad when I left school and was driving horses as soon as I could. Then I worked for Stuey Hunter. I trained, drove, and shoed horses for about a dozen years and then one day in 1998 (aged 28), Ross Croghan, who was on holiday from America came and had a chat with me.
“He saw me doing some farrier work, and said if I ever wanted a job in the USA to call him. I wasn’t married at the time, and said “hell yes” the same day, and before I knew it I was on a plane to New Jersey.”
A three-month stint with Croghan ended up a 12-year stay in North America. After four years under Croghan, McCall and his wife Karina moved to Canada and went out on their own and had an unbelievable run over the next eight years.
“I learnt so much during my 12 years in North America. In 2006 Karina and I came up with a five-year plan with the aim of moving back to Australia at the end of that time. We either stayed there and retired there, or came back home.
“Ross was an amazing man and so was Robert Fellows. I trained at his Farm before we moved on to Classy Lane Stables in Puslinch (Ontario) which boasted 200-plus horses. Without them I would not have won all those big races,” McCall said.
McCall returned to Queensland and then worked out of Menangle for 10 years before returning to his home-State the day the Covid borders opened in late 2021. Prior to that McCall was elected as the new President for the United Harness Racing Association (UHRA) at its AGM held at Tabcorp Park Menangle in January 2017. At the time he replaced outgoing President, John McCarthy.
Australia Harness Racing records say McCall has trained and driven here since 1087, but he insists it was more the mid-1980s.
The records show McCall has trained 277 winners, and placed 728 times from 3,518 starters. His stake earnings stand at $2,986,167. In the sulky he has driven 195 winners, and placed 611 times from 3,201 starters. Stake earnings = $2,054,001.
He has conditioned 17 winners in 2024 and driven 13. His best seasons were in 2016-17 when he trained 32 winners ($354,600), and 2011-12 when he saluted the judge on 21 occasions ($138,129).
“All I wanted to do in my teens was drive, and I remember my first winner was behind a pacer named Red Chief at Albion Park when I was about 18 (1978).
His colours are yellow, black yoke, white stars, black sleeves, with the white star; and black, yellow yoke, white stars, yellow sleeves, with the white star.
Asked what his highlight in Australia was he replied:
“Winning a couple of Newcastle Miles with Bettor Bet Black was memorable. Girl From Oz, an $18,000 purchase, who won the Group Two Pink Bonnet at Menangle, and a heat of the Bathurst Gold tiara was also a special filly and mare.
“She also a won the Breeders Crown Regional Final at three, and the APG Bullion Final at four on her way to winning $195,000 with 11 wins, and 23 placings (99 starts), and was only retired in August,” McCall said.
“Girl from Oz is currently in foal to Captaintreacherous,” he added.
Despite winning races on bug tracks in both hemispheres, McCall insisted Redcliffe Paceway would always be a special track to his family, but the Red Mile in Lexington (Kentucky) was his favourite track.
“I grew up on Knight Street and learnt my trade on that track. I still love training and driving there. It brings back a lot of fond memories when my father used to train on three blocks of land at the end of Percy Street for the famous Ingham ‘chicken’ family,” he said.
McCall met his Danish wife, Karina, in 1998 in New Jersey when she was working for trainer, Mark Kezmodel. They have been married 20 years as of August 4. McCall has many relations in New South Wales, including the formidable Morris family, which comprises Peter Morris and his son Robbie.
