Marc Campbell is the 2010 champion of the PEI Standardbred Horse Owner's Association driving championship Saturday at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the
Charlottetown Driving Park.
The Vernon River resident recorded a driving triple during the competition and stayed well positioned throughout the day in order to collect a total of 63 points to win the E.F. Acorn Memorial trophy in the annual event. Brodie MacPhee finished second with 54 points while Shane Bernard completed the top three with 52 points.
Campbell wasted no time securing the top spot on the leader board when he sent JC Riley into a three high tier past the three-quarter station in the opening leg to post a convincing victory in 2:03.1 for owner James MacDonald of Vernon Bridge. The former National Driving representative scored wins aboard Combustibletrouble and Buck Barker to pad his lead.
On the season, Campbell is enjoying career highs in wins (133) and earnings ($299,904).
Shane Bernard was the only other driver to engineer multiple wins in the nine-race competition when he guided Triage and Woodmere Rockette to top performances in their races. Mark Bradley, Kenny Arsenault, Corey MacPherson and Brodie MacPhee also made it into the winner's column.
The 2010 standings went into the history books with Marc Campbell (63), Brodie MacPhee (54), Shane Bernard (52), Mark Bradley (51), Corey MacPherson (45), Kenny Arsenault (40), Joey Pineau (37), Terry Gallant (34), Kuri White (29).
If the competition was for trainers, Todd Walsh would have been a top contender sending out three winners from his barn. Walsh sent out three horses - Hall Trot, Combustibletrouble, and Waterside Yankee - and all three were victorious.
Blue Meadow Willie, pulled off an upset to claim the afternoon top class in 2:00.3 for driver Robert MacInnis. Blue Meadow Willie tracked seventh at the half before MacInnis tipped the six-year-old gelding three deep on route to the three-quarter pole to grab fourth at the head of the stretch. The son of Drop Off mowed down the rest of the field to deliver a $42 dollar win ticket. Roscoes Child was second with Barrett Jackson rounding out the triactor. The winning horse is owned by Robert and Brenda MacInnis of Summerside.
(with files from Red Shores)