Horse wins race, owner gets diamond engagement ring

When trainer and owner Mackenzie Macinnis of Tyne Valley led her racehorse Casimir Nunzio into the winner's circle Saturday, she wasn't expecting her driver — covered in post-race mud — to get down on one knee, pop open a box containing a diamond ring and pop the question.  

The horse, who won his race by a nose in a pace of 2:01.3 was driven by Dale Spence, Macinnis's boyfriend of four years. 

"Dad kept saying 'He has to win, he has to win!'" while they watched the horse race, Macinnis said. "I was really excited and my dad and my brother were really excited — I guess for other reasons."

'Couldn't have been more perfect'

When they reached the winner's circle, track announcer Vance Cameron came on the public sound system.

"For owner-trainer Mackenzie Macinnis, I believe your driver Dale Spence has a question for you," Cameron said. 

Track video shows Spence hopping off the sulky, surreptitiously taking something from Macinnis's mother, and kneeling at the side of the track, still holding the reins.

"She said yes!" Cameron told the crowd. 

Spence didn't get to bask in his fiancée's reply, however — it's only about five seconds before the horse decides he's leaving, and Spence has to hop back on the bike. "He's a bit of a lughead," said Macinnis of the horse. 

"It was really special, it couldn't have been more perfect," beamed Macinnis, 24. 

'Wanted to win'

Spence, 26, had had the whole scene planned to take place the week before — but the horse he was driving placed second, so neither he nor Macinnis was in the winner's circle. 

"Our common interest in horses is what keeps us together so I couldn't see any more fitting proposal than do it right at the racetrack," Spence said. 

Spence contacted Red Shores racetrack in Charlottetown to ask permission for the stunt and they were happy to oblige.

"It was special," said Lee Drake, manager of marketing and brands for Red Shores Racetrack and Casino. "It was one of those moments that really took off on social media too when we posted it. 

"When you're involved in harness racing like they are ... that's the place you always want to get to is the winner's circle!" Drake said. 

'Put forth his effort'

"The closer we got to the wire the more I thought about the proposal and the more I wanted to win," said Spence. "I think he [the horse] kind of felt that and he put forth his effort.

"And it was pretty hard for her to say no after her horse won a race," Spence said. 

The couple is planning to walk down the aisle in 2020 — until then, daily barn chores will keep them together, since they own three racehorses together and train two others.

"We come to the barn every morning at 5:30 and we do our thing and every day is a great day," Spence said. 

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