John Campbell was born on April 8, 1955 in London, Ontario. He idolized harness racing drivers from the time he was very small. Beginning his racing career in 1972 at Windsor Raceway in Ontario. He eventually became a catch-driver. This is a driver who is hired on a freelance basis to drive a horse in a race. In 1975, he moved to the Meadowlands in New Jersey. This proved to be a good move, as he made more in winnings that year than in the previous three years combined. In 1979, he had his first big win year. He was the top money winner for 12 out of the next 17 years.
In 1982, he went on to win his first million dollar race driving Hilarion in the Meadowlands Pace. In 1983, John Campbell won seven races in one day for the first time in his career. He would go on to do this four more times. In 1997, he won his 5,000th career victory at Meadowlands and took two more Breeders' Crown victories with the Mares Open and the Open Trot.
He has gone on to win Driver of the Year 4 times: in 1983, 1988, 1990 and 2006. He was the youngest member to be inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame at the age of 35 in 1990. He has won most of the major harness races multiple times, including winning the prestigious Hambletonian six times: in 1987 driving Mack Lobell; in 1988 driving Armbro Goal; in 1990 driving Harmonious; in 1995 driving Tagliabue; in 1998 driving Muscles Yankee; and in 2006 driving Glidemaster. He has also won the Sweetheart eight times, the Little Brown Jug three times, and the Mistletoe Shalee five times, among many other wins.
In 2000, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal from his home country of Canada in honor of his having performed in a highly professional manner. In 2000, Campbell reached an unprecedented $100 million in career earnings at the Meadowlands track. This was the first time a driver had won so much at a single track. He won the Meadowlands Pace seven times and took the track driving title fifteen times. In 2003, John Campbell suffered a broken right elbow and damage to his hand. For the first time in 24 years, he did not finish first or second in driver standings. He was still back at work in 88 days after the accident.
John Campbell has won 10,000 races in his long career to date, and has topped $250 million in purses won. One would think he'd be ready to retire with a record like that. But Campbell has no plans to retire just yet. He has continued to drive in several races of the Breeders' Crown this season, including the Breeders' Crown Trot and the Breeders' Crown Pace.
John Campbell has proven to be one of the greatest drivers in harness racing history. He has certainly earned his place in the annals of the sport, and will continue to do so until the day he decides to hang it all up.
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