Drew Campbell is ready to test the waters. Campbell, who last year became the first person to be honoured by the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association
as both its Driver of the Year and Trainer of the Year, plans to start racing outside of his home state in the coming months.
His friend, Jason Bartlett, made a similar move several years ago and is now the leading driver in North America in terms of wins.
“It doesn’t make any sense to sit here and not make money during those off months,” the 42-year-old Campbell said. “I have some really nice guys offering me drives in places like New Jersey, so why not do what Jason did and test the waters? I certainly don’t think I’m going to set the world on fire, but I’m willing to work hard and you don’t know what will happen if you don’t ever try.”
Campbell has 309 wins this year, just four shy of his career high, and a career best $851,031 in purses. He has won 26 races as a trainer this year, but has scaled back that portion of his workload.
“I’m good friends with Jason Bartlett, who is an outstanding guy and a very hard worker,” said Campbell, who has driven 2,433 winners in his career, good for $5.7 million. “That’s what he did, because you just don’t have the time to do both anymore if you catch drive. This way I can focus on my drives.”
Campbell, who is a third generation horseman, began driving in 1989 and never considered any other career. His father, the late Winston “Soupie” Campbell, retired from training in 2001 after being diagnosed with cancer and he received the New England Harness Writer’s Association’s Iron Man award in 2003. Campbell still conditions his horses in his father’s old barn and his brother, Heath, is also a top trainer/driver in Maine.
“We were horse-crazy as kids and learned everything we know, including shoeing our own horses, from my father,” he said. “I never wanted to do anything else and it’s really great to be able to get up every morning and love what you are doing.”
The thing Campbell enjoys the most about driving is winning, especially stakes races, but even if he’s not getting his picture taken he’s still having fun out there.
“I have a blast racing no matter what happens,” he said. “Of course I like making money, but some days things just don’t go your way or the horse simply doesn’t have it. Then you go out there the next day and do it all over again.”
Campbell was so busy working that it took some time to appreciate his accomplishments in 2008.
“It’s never been done before and once I started looking around at all the trophies, it began to sink in what an achievement that is,” Campbell said about winning the training and driving honors.
“Then I also knew why I lost 15 pounds last year, but it was certainly worth it.”
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This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S.
Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com. *