One of the top contenders for the biggest prize in Canadian harness racing just landed the top driver in that race's history
.
John Campbell, who leads all drivers with six Pepsi North America Cup victories, will pick up the drive on the fastest three-year-old of 2010 and the fastest elimination winner Rock N Roll Heaven.
“I spoke to John in the morning [last Saturday] to see if the logistics would fit [to drive in the eliminations] but they wouldn’t," Saunders told harnessracing.com. "There was no way he could get there [for the NA Cup elims], plus he had a full compliment of drives at the Meadowlands he was committed to. So we went with Timmy, who we felt most comfortable with.”
Tetrick guided Rock N Roll Heaven to his impressive 1:48.4 elim win, but was committed to the Ray Schnittker-trained One More Laugh who finished second to 11-1 upsetter We Will See.
Campbell, who last won the Cup in 1999 with The Panderosa, drove Rock N Roll Heaven for Saunders in his first three starts at the Meadowlands in 2009.
“He’s a great little horse. He’s got a tremendous turn of speed but it’s his attitude that impressed me the first time I sat behind him,” Campbell told harnessracing.com Monday morning, adding though that the downside of getting the drive is that “you don’t want to gain from someone else’s misfortunes.”
The post draw for Saturday's $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup will take place during a press conference on Tuesday.
With all due respect to guys
With all due respect to guys like Sears, Tetrick and Pierce and the rest who are great drivers in their own right John Campbell is in my opinion the best driver this sport has ever seen. Brian I respectfully partially disagree with the statement you made about JC losing some of his agressiveness. It may be the case in some lesser races but when money is on the line JC can drive my horse anytime he wants, even at 54. While I think all would agree that at the end of the day it's the horse that does the running and even a great driver cannot get a horse who doesn't want to run running the fact is that the job of the driver is to put the horse in a position to win and JC does it better then anyone. Rarely have I seen a live horse lose a big race because of a mistake made by JC.
I agree that John is all class. He has been a great ambassador for the sport (the harness equivalent of Sandy Hawley) and the NA Cup would not be the same without John in it.
I feel bad for Danny Dube who has done nothing wrong with the horse and deserved to be in it. Unfortunately this game is unpredicable at the best of times.
Hopefully Dube will be back in time for possibly the Meadowlands Pace etc.
All said, it should be a great Cup with some great horses and drivers.
Best of luck to all.
GO FOR IT JC YOU'RE THE BEST
GO FOR IT JC YOU'RE THE BEST
Couldn't happen to a more
Couldn't happen to a more deserving driver to pick up a top contender in the NA Cup. It wouldn't be NA Cup without the man! I hope he adds another NA Cup trophy to his resume. Dan Dube benefited from Mr. Campbell's choosing off Gallo Blue Chip & now JC may benifit from Dube's unfortunate injury?
In reply to Couldn't happen to a more by Kevin
Very happy to see Mr
Very happy to see Mr Campbell pick up a live mount for the cup would not be a showcase race without him. Best of luck to all involved may the best horse win and i think Rock N Roll Heaven is the best horse.
Good luck
Sonny
I'm glad for John, BUT I
I'm glad for John, BUT I thought Tim did a great job with him on the elimination. No one can deny that John Campbell will go down in history BUT I think he's lost some of his aggressiveness during the races. Maybe too many accidents and respecting his age to some degree. . I would have liked a more aggressive George Brennan or Yanik Gingras.
Maybe I'll eat my words ..We'll let the result tell the tale!!
Nick, you are right on the
Nick, you are right on the money and I second the motion. Good Luck all...
Good for John &
Good for John & Bruce...class guys.