John Campbell (harness racing)

John Campbell
John Campbell at Meadowlands track, 2013
Occupation	Harness racing driver
Born	(1955-04-08)April 8, 1955 Ailsa Craig, Ontario, Canada
Major racing wins
Meadowlands Pace (1982, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002) † Canadian Trotting Classic (1983, 2010) Maple Leaf Trot (1983, 1987) Adios Pace (1984, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003) † Breeders Crown Open Trot (1985, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1997, 2008) † Little Brown Jugette (1985, 1989, 1992,1998, 2016) † Art Rooney Pace (1990, 1993, 1994, 1999) † North America Cup (1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999) † Breeders Crown Open Pace (1992, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2014) † Betsy Ross Mares Invitational Pace (2008, 2015) U.S. Trotting Triple Crown wins: Hambletonian Stakes (1987, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2006) † Yonkers Trot (1987, 1998, 2014) Kentucky Futurity (1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2004, 2007, 2014) † U.S. Pacing Triple Crown wins: Little Brown Jug (1982, 1993, 1995) Cane Pace (1985, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2004) † Messenger Stakes (1986, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2004) † † denotes record
Racing awards
Harness Tracks of America Driver of the Year (1983, 1988, 1990)
Honours
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (1987) [1] U. S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame (1990) [2] Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame (1996) Meritorious Service Medal (Canada) (2000) [3] Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (2009) [4]
Significant horses
Art Major, Cam's Card Shark, David's Pass, Glidemaster, Life Sign, Mack Lobell Muscles Yankee, Nuncio, Pine Chip Peace Corps, Precious Bunny, The Panderosa

John Duncan Campbell (born April 8, 1955, in Ailsa Craig, Ontario) is a retired Canadian harness racing driver. He earned induction into the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

Early life

John Campbell, his father Duncan, and his brother Jim were prominent Standardbred horsemen. Duncan raised his family near London, Ontario, with sons Ray and Jack. Jack’s sons, John and Jim Campbell, followed in the family tradition, as did Ray’s son, Robert, a trainer and driver.

Career

Campbell’s purse earnings surpass those of any active driver or jockey. He won more prize money at The Meadowlands Racetrack than any other jockey or driver in North America. His record makes him the greatest harness racing driver in history.

The 1976 opening of The Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey, known as the Big M, transformed harness racing. The one-mile track attracted top horses, trainers, and drivers. Before the 1970s, horses typically raced in single file until the homestretch. Owners or trainers usually drove the horses. The Meadowlands introduced the “catch-driver,” a younger, lighter, and more athletic driver who increased race speeds. Campbell dominated as a catch-driver in the late 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, pioneering the role now common among top drivers.

In 1990, at age 35, Campbell became the youngest driver elected to the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame. He also joined the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and the London, Ontario, Sports Hall of Fame in its inaugural class of 2002.

Campbell won the Hambletonian Stakes a record six times, with his final victory in 2006 driving Glidemaster. ^[5] On July 12, 2008, he secured his 10,000th career win, guiding Share the Delight to victory in the sixth race at The Meadowlands Racetrack. ^{[6] [7]}

Campbell retired from driving in 2017. ^[8] Before retiring, the Hambletonian Society, a nonprofit organization that administers major harness racing events and promotes Standardbred breeding, unanimously elected him president and CEO. ^[9]

Personal life

Campbell resides in River Vale, New Jersey. ^[10]

References

1. Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Retrieved October 13, 2016
2. U. S. Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame Retrieved October 13, 2016
3. Office of the Governor General of Canada Retrieved October 14, 2016
4. Canada's Sports Hall of Fame Retrieved October 13, 2016
5. "John Campbell Wins 6th Hambletonian". The Oklahoman. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
6. "John Campbell Reaches 10,000 Wins". United States Trotting Association. Retrieved October 13, 2016.{{cite web}}: |archive-url= is malformed: timestamp (help) [Note: Original link is dead; replacement needed]
7. "2008 United States Trotting Association Handbook" (PDF). United States Trotting Association. Retrieved October 13, 2016.{{cite web}}: |archive-url= is malformed: timestamp (help) [Note: Original link is dead; replacement needed]
8. Brennan, John (June 29, 2017). "Legendary harness racing driver John Campbell retiring at Meadowlands after 39 years". Bergen Record. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
9. "Hall of Fame driver John Campbell leads Hambletonian Society". Associated Press. March 16, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
10. "Retirement? No way, says John Campbell". Harnesslink. Retrieved October 13, 2016.

External links

• YouTube video titled "In The Sulky with John Campbell - June 17, 2016"
• John Campbell Fan page at United States Trotting Association