Catching Up With John Campbell

With two stakes wins this past Saturday night and his popularity unwavering, driver John Campbell talked to Trot Insider about his recent victories

both on and off the track.

At his home track of The Meadowlands, Campbell's first Saturday stakes win came aboard a live catch drive with North America Cup-eligible Chasin Racin. The George Teague-trained son of The Panderosa stayed undefeated in four sophomore starts with a lifetime best 1:51.1 victory in the $104,400 Matts Scooter final.

"I really liked him," said Campbell. "George [trainer Teague] said he's a bit green and they've been taking their time him. I was very impressed with the way he raced the week before."

In comparing Chasin Racin to his sire, a horse that Campbell drove almost exclusively, the sport's all-time richest driver stated that both share one consistent trait.

"Like The Panderosa, this colt is a tough professional but he's bigger than his sire. [Chasin Racin] was pacing his strongest through the wire and he still had lots to give."

Campbell also clicked with the Bruce Saunders-trained Southwestern Dream for a mild upset in the $132,000 final of the Four Leaf Clover Series. Earlier in the meet, the combination erupted with a 53-1 shocker in the $84,000 Aquarius final, resulting in stakes records for the fastest mile [1:49.4] and highest payoff [$108] in series history.

"His success isn't all that surprising," Campbell told Trot Insider. "He had ability last year - he showed up and won a few in the Fall. He was really good going into the Progress Pace elim but he broke stride."

The well-bred son of Cambest-Lady Of Art, developed by renowned trotting wizard Jean-Pierre Dubois, moved into the Saunders stable last year and has won eight of 18 starts since the move.

"In his last six starts he's really stepped it up," said Campbell. "I couldn't control him in the hole in the Aquarius, but since then he's been better."

According to Campbell, Southwestern Dream will be getting a bit of a break before resuming his four-year-old campaign.

"It's tough for the four-year-olds to compete with the aged horses but I think he'll be good if he doesn't reset."

One four-year-old that Campbell thinks will be able to compete with the aged group is the Dan Patch-winning Three-Year-Old Filly Pacer of the Year, Tug River Princess. Campbell told Trot Insider that the daughter of Badlands Hanover and stablemate Corleone Kosmos will be returning to the track later this Spring for trainer Ross Croghan. Campbell is eagerly anticipating the return of these two top stakes performers as well as another award winning filly, trotter Honorable Daughter.

Ever gracious, the Ontario native was "very flattered" to be named the driver most people would want to drive their horse in a $2 million race. An informal SC web poll had Campbell, who will turn 54 in less than two weeks, as the preferred choice with 28 per cent of the votes - more than double that of runner-up Brian Sears.