"He didn’t show it that night, but a couple of days later he had a little bit of sickness brewing. I’ve never been disappointed in this horse. He always went out and gave a great effort."

A winner of more than $500,000 at two, Woodrow Wilson Champ Fashion Delight is ranked at #4 in the Trot 2011 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book with odds of 7-1. Trot Insider caught up with trainer Jim Campbell for an update on the how the Bettors Delight colt spent the winter and what 2011 holds in store.

Where did he winter?

"He had some time off at Fashion Farms (New Hope, PA) and then wintered at White Birch Farm (in Allentown, NJ)."

When did you start back with him?

"We started back with him in the first week of January, he’s progressing, jogging and training back nicely."

Have you noticed any changes from last year to this year?

"Physically, he’s filled out quite a bit and has a real strong body to him. Mentally, he’s about the same. Like last year, he’s the type of colt who just likes his work. He’s just a real good feeling colt to be around. Hopefully, we can get him back to where he was when he was a two-year-old and racing at the top level."

When will he qualify?

"Our game plan is to qualify him towards the end of April, and the first race we’ll get him ready for is the Empire Breeders Classic at Tioga Downs (eliminations May 22)."

What will his early schedule look like leading up to the Pepsi NA Cup?

"We’re shooting first for that race at Tioga Downs, and it will obviously depend on how that race goes. He’s eligible to the Somebeachsomewhere (June 4), but you can never get too far ahead of yourself at this stage of the game. They’re in our plans anyway."

What does his tentative schedule look like after the NA Cup?

"He’s eligible to both the North America Cup (June 18) and Meadowlands Pace (July 16), but again it’s all going to depend on how he reacts to each particular race at that particular time as to whether we’re going to enter him. This year the Meadowlands Pace doesn’t come a week after, which makes it a little bit easier to do both.

"There’s so much on the schedule for a three year old, and again, you can’t get too far ahead of yourself because it’s pointless.

“He was pretty good the whole year and always gave you everything he had. After his last start in Canada (Governor’s Cup Final on November 6, 2010, timed in 1:49.4) he didn’t show it that night, but a couple of days later he had a little bit of sickness brewing. I’ve never been disappointed in this horse. He always went out and gave a great effort."

Throughout the course of the week, the SC website will countdown to the Spring Book favourite, complete with updates from the trainers on the pacers that Trot staff assessed as the leading contenders for the richest prize in Canadian harness racing. Watch for the full list of Spring Book odds in the April issue of Trot Magazine.