Meadowlands fetes John Campbell on Friday
June 29, 2017,from the Meadowlands Media Relations Department
East Rutherford, NJ — The Meadowlands celebrates the career of harness racing’s greatest driver on Friday evening (June 30) as John Campbell retires from competitive racing to assume his new role as President and CEO of the Hambletonian Society.
Lisa photo
John Campbell will retire from competitive racing on Friday.
Campbell’s accomplishments are the stuff of legend, having won every race worth winning in a career that has seen him steer the winners of nearly $300 million. His name appears as the leader in virtually every driving category at The Meadowlands.
The celebration begins at 6 p.m. on the grandstand level, where John will greet fans and sign autographs before stepping outside to “go to the office” on the racetrack one last time.
The live racing includes ten races on the betting card and three early races that include the $20,000 New Jersey Sires Stakes for 2-year-olds.
With just a handful of sires standing in New Jersey for the 2014 breeding season, the NJSS is down to eight or fewer horses being eligible to all divisions of 2-year-olds. As a result, the colt and filly paces and colt trot will be raced off the betting program starting at 6:30 p.m. and will be carried on The Meadowlands simulcast broadcast.
The pari-mutuel card includes four freshman events featuring the NJSS for trotting fillies in race two, where trainer Noel Daley is holding a strong hand with a pair of freshmen by Wishing Stone in the field of six.
Be Bop Sally ($25,000 Lexington Selected Sale) has had two good qualifiers in anticipation of the stakes, the most recent a 2:00.4 effort at The Meadowlands. She is owned by the trainer in partnership with the driver, Andy McCarthy, and Patricia Stable and starts from post two on Friday.
Diamond Stone US ($20,000 Lexington Selected Sale) has past performance lines that virtually mirror those of her stablemate, having trotted two ticks faster in her Meadowlands qualifier. She is wholly owned by trainer Daley and he has named David Miller to drive.
Come join the fun. Post time is 7:15 p.m.
- Campbell and O’Donnell line up at Goshen on Sunday (Friday, June 30, 2017)
When John Campbell gets behind the gate at Goshen Historic Track on Sunday (July 2) for the Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Memorial Trot (race four at approximately 2 p.m.), he’ll see a familiar face to his left. In post eight, driving the trotter Pig Hunt, Campbell will be next to Bill O’Donnell, driving Toss Cartwright from post seven. It will be the last race in the U.S. for both men, who are Canadian-born.
- A special night for Campbell (Friday, June 30, 2017)
John Campbell didn’t mind a slow pace Friday night (June 30). This drive was special. It was his final trip to The Meadowlands Racetrack winner’s circle.Campbell, the leading money-winning driver in harness racing history and winningest driver in the history of The Meadowlands, raced at the Big M for the final time Friday. He capped his career at the North Jersey oval in storybook fashion, winning his final two starts in front of numerous family members, friends, and appreciative fans.