John Campbell

[Trotman]

Just looking at Campbell's stats from the Meadowlands this year 4 wins. Now last year even though he was still not right from injuries he ended up the year with 12% win % at the Meadowlands which is with stakes horses as well. As much as I hate to see it I think this year will be dismal all season as the driver colony is pretty tough with some new arrivals. I would'nt be surprized if he makes more appearances early on the WEG circuit to land some nice stakes horses for the summer. As one of the greatest to sit behind a horse I sure hope things turn around for him. :ThmbUp:

[markgoldie]

I agree. Great all-time driver, but the handwriting's pretty much on the wall. Youth must be served as they say and John had his day as an upstart, showing up the better-established veterans.

As I said in another thread, this is a great and unforgiving market-based meritocracy that holds little mercy for past accomplishments. Personally, I would like to see John go into training and hang up the silks. With his vast knowledge of horses, he would be an outstanding colt and stakes trainer.

[harness2008]

Mark, do you think it's diminishing driving skills or is it just that there are better and younger drivers that crop up today? Would he still be a force at a lower level harness track?

I remember last year when Tim Tetrick came over to Vernon Downs (my home track) and basically cleaned everybodys clock here. Jimmy Whittemore was exceptional at the Downs, has had appearances at the Meadowlands and just doesn't look like the same driver. I guess it also depends on the stock that you drive.

[markgoldie]

All drivers lose skills with age. Some earlier and some later. Actually I think it has a great deal to do with youthful energy and enthusiasm that the younger guys impart to the horse. With a bit of age, we all lose that and it is apparently happening to Campbell. He is one of the class acts of all time and I just don't want to see him drag on year after as a doormat. I don't think he will. I think he'll get the message sooner or later. Even now, he drives the overnight stock, in my opinion, with an eye to just keep himself out there and on the trainers' minds so that he may get some stakes drives.

[firstoffclaim]

Campbell just won the finale at 30-1!

[beaucap]

Campbell just won the finale at 30-1!

If you look back in Aug of 09 his times were 150.2...150.3.....30,000 clm races. The horses in the 13th dont come close to those times. I thought the horse was worth the bet. I also like John the long shot campbell.

[Trotman]

John Campbell is still thought of highly north of the border and with that he just might follow in the footsteps of Ouellette and Moiseyev. He still will be moving into a strong drivers colony but after that it will be over, and I for one will not think any less of the man. John thanks for the memories :ThmbUp:

[wilderness]

John Campbell is still thought of highly north of the border and with that he just might follow in the footsteps of Ouellette and Moiseyev. He still will be moving into a strong drivers colony but after that it will be over, and I for one will not think any less of the man. John thanks for the memories :ThmbUp:

I don't think so?

John has three daughters and multiple grandchildren with all their families in NJ.
Mrs. Campbell (Paula) is actively involved in the Standardbred Retirement Foundation.

For John to return to his roots in Canada and the home of his father and grandfather (Jack and Dunc) would require John to abandon his family. A thought that is BEYOND the consideration of his character.

John's had nearly 30 years of a good living and yet their home (via some previously seen photo's and PR video's) is rather modest ("By intention", I'm sure).

John Campbell's name will warrant him friendships and success for years to come, irregardless of whether he's in the top ten at the Meadowland's or any other track.

Some good and similar reading on this same dilemma is the regret that Billy Haughton had after letting Bill O'Donnell take over the driving on Nihilator.

[badcompany]

All drivers lose skills with age. Some earlier and some later. Actually I think it has a great deal to do with youthful energy and enthusiasm that the younger guys impart to the horse. With a bit of age, we all lose that and it is apparently happening to Campbell. He is one of the class acts of all time and I just don't want to see him drag on year after as a doormat. I don't think he will. I think he'll get the message sooner or later. Even now, he drives the overnight stock, in my opinion, with an eye to just keep himself out there and on the trainers' minds so that he may get some stakes drives.

I don't think you ever lose the hands. It's the stamina that goes. The older guys can't give a solid effort for 10+ races a day.

However, the older drivers tend to be better than the young guys at driving the very young horses, especially trotters. This is because these horses must be coaxed carefully and expertly, otherwise, they'll break.

Here's the Master, Mike Lachance, at age 59, winning the 2yr old colt trot 600K Breeders Crown final.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsDMidDLm90

[Trotman]

BadCompany thanks for the video. We all just saw 3 of the best drivers of all time Lachance, Condren, Campbell. What puts this in perspective was the call of the race how Campbell baits and flushes Miller then goes, then Condren makes his second move with Lachance rolling up from the back ready to pick up the pieces. The deep stretch tells it all just before the wire nobody else counted,what a race. :ThmbUp:

[MickJ26]

Why doesn't Campbell go to Yonkers? The Cat Man rejuvenated his career (he had five last night) and it would also allow him to remain in the metropolitan area. It would be like "Back to the Future".

[DeanT]

Jc always starts off brutal. He does not drive for the top claiming trainers, so he gets torched early in the year with numbers. In 2008 his udrs was a buck fifty early in the meet and people were calling him washed up. He ended the M meet with more money than Gingras, Brennan, and much more money per start than Pierce and the rest of the crew (sans Sears). Last year he was 9 for 120 to start (or something like that). He ended the summer at the M with 110 or so wins, $3.5M made, and a 12% win percentage. If the recent past holds, come stakes time he will be backing kicking some ass (imo)

[Trotman]

John Campbell IMO does not have to hang around cold and dreary tracks in the winter to keep himself in the picture for when the stakes season begins. I would think taking time off and getting south where some of the future stars are learning their lessons would be just the same. He is a family man so that is probably the reason.

[badcompany]

BadCompany thanks for the video. We all just saw 3 of the best drivers of all time Lachance, Condren, Campbell. What puts this in perspective was the call of the race how Campbell baits and flushes Miller then goes, then Condren makes his second move with Lachance rolling up from the back ready to pick up the pieces. The deep stretch tells it all just before the wire nobody else counted,what a race. :ThmbUp:

What made Lachance's ride so great in that race is patience. When Campbell made that quick move to the lead, a lesser driver might have panicked and gunned his horse, as well. Not Lachance, he knew where he was on the track and that he had time to wear down the leaders in the stretch. Also, Lachance made his name as a very agressive driver with a ferocious whip, but, in that race, you can see him gently coaxing the young trotter to the finish line.

At this point, legends like Lachance and Campell can make a nice living just sticking to the stakes circuit. Those 200K+ purses add up quickly.

Here's Lachance two weeks later at Yonkers winning the 400k Lady Maud, beating a 1/5 shot driven by Jimmy Morrill.

Unfortunately, for some reason, the vid gets cut off at the top of the stretch, but it's worth watching just for how Lachance drives the first 1/4.

He hangs Morrill three wide for long as possible. Had Lachance gone any faster, Morrill would've been two wide with a shorter path to the lead. Any slower and Morrill would've looped him.

Considering Lachance won the race by a hair, IMO, this was the difference between coming in 1st or 2nd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXXFkpKOL94

[Trotman]

BadCompany I really enjoy watching the vid's you've been providing,maybe we should put a place here in the Harness section to drop them into so we can look at em anytime. :ThmbUp:

[toetoe]

I presume Shanghai Lil won it, but the video ended right after the announcement, "... and Yellow Diamond is strong on the lead."

[Trotman]

Toetoe yes Shanghai Lil won it in a Kodak Moment just by a hair.

[Canarsie]

Jc always starts off brutal. He does not drive for the top claiming trainers, so he gets torched early in the year with numbers. In 2008 his udrs was a buck fifty early in the meet and people were calling him washed up. He ended the M meet with more money than Gingras, Brennan, and much more money per start than Pierce and the rest of the crew (sans Sears). Last year he was 9 for 120 to start (or something like that). He ended the summer at the M with 110 or so wins, $3.5M made, and a 12% win percentage. If the recent past holds, come stakes time he will be backing kicking some ass (imo)


Your 100% correct and if I recall he also drove only on weekends early in the meet last year. Sears also started slowly last year and they weren't saying good things about him either. I think it would be wise to get a body of work into the end of spring before declaring he's severely diminished.

[Cubbymac26]

since this thread is devoted to jc i want to share a story that every time i see jc i think of this story...

it was like 10 years ago im 17 and we took a trip to garden state park we were sitting in the trackside dining not sure of the name but it was the equivent to terraces at the meadowlands

were eating dinner the race goes off turning for home jc angles out and bulls his way through 2 horses (there was a rail from the tbreds).. jc wins the race they put up the inquiry the number is flashing for at least 5 minutes some big over weight looking degenerate gets up in the middle of the dining room and screams "ladies and gentlemen they will never take jesus f ing christ down in a million f ing years" rite in the middle of the room

it very well could have been the hardest i ever laughed in my life i didnt agree with the language per se but the statement itself may have been the truest racing statement ive heard to this day hahahahahahah
:lol: