Amid a previous winter, Bob McClure, the celebrated driver who clinched the O'Brien Award, found himself out of commission due to an injury from an incident not related to harness racing.
Following a snowmobile accident in mid-January that resulted in a fractured femur, McClure has now mapped out a timeframe for his return to the racecourse. After a successful surgery, sessions of physiotherapy, and treatments in a hyperbaric chamber, McClure is set to make a comeback in the imminent weeks.
McClure shared with Trot Insider,
"Progress has been swifter than anticipated. I was on track to return this week, but I've decided to make a few trips to Florida. Given the upcoming pause in the racing calendar at Mohawk, I am now eyeing a return around March 30 or April 1."
During McClure's recovery, a silver lining has been the quality time spent with his young sons amid the hockey season. Additionally, visits to the Steacy Stable to meet the reigning Horse of the Year, Sylvia Hanover, post the O'Brien Awards last month, as well as routine visits to the Etsell Stable, have fueled McClure's anticipation for the forthcoming stakes season.
Having achieved his second-highest earnings year by steering winners worth over $6.2 million in 2023, McClure, who boasts a career tally of 3,345 victories, last took the reins on January 15 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.