It was at the half-mile oval in London, Ontario where
Campbell scored his first career victory at the age of 17 with a horse called
Noble Will. “He paid $90 to win, they didn’t have a lot of confidence in me I
guess,” laughed Campbell. That would soon change.
Now 57, John’s exploits in the sulky are legendary
leading to his being inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame at
the tender age of 32 and three years later he became the youngest person ever
elected to the US Harness Racing Hall of Fame.
Campbell, who grew up in nearby Ailsa Craig where he
learned his craft from father Jack and grandfather Dunc, is the highest money
winning harness driver in the history of the sport. His current career bankroll
sits at $281,103,400.
Tonight he’ll make his first start at The Raceway in more
than two decades having last raced there in 1980 when he finished second in the
track’s signature race, the Molson Pace, with Fight The Foe. John won the
fourth edition of the long running stakes event in 1975 with a horse he
trained, Derby Gent.
“That was back when we all trained our own horses and
that was the first two minute mile at Western Fair,” he recalled.
Fittingly, it’s the Molson Pace which has brought John
back to the place where his career began, as he’s slated to drive in both
$20,000 eliminations of the event on the stakes laden card. He decided to make
the trip after trainer Richie Silverman asked if he’d drive his horse, Razzle Dazzle, a five-year-old Real Desire gelding
with $431,000 on his card to date.
“It was an opportunity for me to come home and I think
he’s got a good chance to make the final,” noted Campbell who won’t be in the
London area for long on today's trip but he'll return shortly. “I’m driving in
Chester in the afternoon (Friday) then have to be back to drive at Pocono
Saturday night. But my wife and I are driving back up Sunday to have a visit
with my parents.”
Whether that visit extends to the following Friday night
for the $300,000 Molson Pace final will depend upon how his charges do in their
eliminations. Campbell has also picked up a drive in the first elimination
behind Clear Vision, a six-year-old gelding by Western Hanover from the
powerful Ron Burke stable.
Unlike Razzle Dazzle, which he has driven on many
occasions, Campbell has only driven Clear Vision twice in his career, in his
second lifetime start as a two-year-old and then again in an overnight during
his sophomore season.
“I’ve driven Razzle Dazzle every year. Last year at four
it was tough for him against the aged performers but he’s come back faster and
stronger this year and shown he can compete. The Silvermans planned that for
him, to take it easy last year and aim for this season.”
The horse excels on a half-mile track as demonstrated by
his 1:51 two length victory in the $100,000 Levy Consolation at Yonkers late
last month which was just a fifth of a second off the track record. “His win
was a full second faster than the final,” noted Campbell who has also picked up
drives tonight in two of the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold eliminations and in the
Wall of Fame pace.
As for his driving strategy with Razzle Dazzle, who has
post five, Campbell is hoping for early speed from the inside horses including
Aracache Hanover, Valentino and last year’s Molson Pace winner Foiled Again.
“My horse is excellent coming from off the pace. There
should be a lot of speed up front early and it certainly helps that it’s a
small field (six horses) hopefully we’ll be able to capitalize on that,” said
Campbell who isn’t worried that he hasn’t driven at his home track for many
years. “The strategy on a half-mile track is the same regardless of where
you’re racing.”
Like his charge, Campbell comes into tonight’s race card
in excellent shape having overcome a myriad of injuries from race accidents
over the past few years including breaking his shoulder and knee in a spill
last May at Chester Downs. “I feel great, there have been no repercussions.”
Although Campbell relishes the action on track, tonight
he’ll also enjoy the opportunity off track to catch up with friends and former
rivals at the London track.
“It’s special to be able to come home and visit with the
people I raced against when I first started out, and people who raced with my
dad and grandfather. I’ve been fortunate to have competed in Legends Day at
Clinton Raceway for the past few years and that gives me a chance to catch up
with people, but coming to London is coming home.”
