by Jack Ginnetti

Marlborough, MA — Driver-trainer Winston Drew Campbell now knows how it feels to flirt with glory. It came Tuesday (August 24) at Plainridge Racecourse, when the talented Maine reinsman visited the winner’s circle six times.

“I had a Bruce Ranger kind of day and I’m very happy with the way things turned out,” Campbell said after his near record setting performance. The record for the number of wins on a single card at Plainridge is seven, which is shared by Greg Bowden and Bruce Ranger.

After his record setting day, Campbell was congratulated in the winner’s circle by Gary T. Piontkowski, track president, and later he reeived an achievement award from the New England Harness Writers.

Maine’s ‘driver of the year’ in 2003 and Scarborough’s leading driver the past two years got off to a fast start when he scored with Trade Agreement in the first, and completed the double with a record setting mile for Dave Cochrane’s trotter Sent From Above, who was timed in 1:56¹, a new record for older trotters at Plainridge.

Drew, who comes from a famous racing family and is stabled at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, also scored victories with Roman Dancer (fourth), Queen Victorian (sixth), Extreme Sport (seventh), who was timed in 1:55¹ and DP’s Meg in the finale.

Campbell has been among the track’s leading drivers since the meet began last March, despite driving on a full-time basis at Scarborough, where he leads all drivers currently with 120 wins. Last year he compiled 260 wins. He also has an interest in a couple of horses trained by Laura Searway.

His late father, Winston C. Campbell, who died in July, 2003, was loved by all. He was named the winner of the 2003 Iron Man award given by the New England Harness Writers, had a race series named after him at Plainridge and as Sally Ann Johns of the Maine Promotion Board said following his passing, “He’s one of the nicest people in harness racing, and he helped raise a beautiful family.”

Drew’s brother, Heath, is no slouch in the bike either. He posted his 2,000th career win last year at Bangor Raceway, was the meet’s leading driver there this season, and in 1999, he drove Color Me Best to victory with a record setting time of 1:52³ in the first edition of the $50,000 Beckwith Memorial held at Plainridge.

At 37, Drew loves the competition racing provides.

“I’ve always been competitive and my brother and I idolized everthing my father did,” he explained.

He has fond memories of his first win.

“It was with Mountain North, a horse my father owned, and it came at St. John, New Brunswick. I had post eight and the horse broke at the start but still won in 2:08²,” he recalled.

With still plenty of racing left, Drew won’t mind duplicating Tuesday’s feat. After all having a ‘Bruce Ranger Day’ is something to crow about.