As the top driver in harness racing history, Ontario native John Campbell has piloted a long list of the greatest Standardbreds ever to look through a bridle. But the horse that changed his life was a more modest Standardbred that came along at a fortuitous time in more ways than one.
Argyel Chester was foaled on the Campbell family’s farm near Ailsa Craig, ON on April 8, 1966 -- the night of Campbell’s 11th birthday. The foal was a Newport Duke colt out of Argyel Margaret, a mare owned by John’s grandmother, Bernice.
That night the family went out to dinner to celebrate John’s birthday. “We went to London and came back and he was there,” John said. “He was a sharp-looking colt. He was a pretty chestnut horse and I just fell in love with him. My grandmother gave me half of him for a birthday present. It was really great.”
Argyel Chester went on to win $91,323 and set a mark of 2:00.2 racing mostly in the top classes at Western Fair Raceway in London. More importantly, Argyel Chester gave John Campbell some status at North Middlesex District High School in Parkhill, ON; status that went beyond the fact that Argyel Chester’s racing exploits were regularly chronicled in the London Free Press.
“I had money in high school,” John said of the most important thing about Argyel Chester. Enough money to buy a brand new Oldsmobile Cutlass. “It was a nice car."
While that status -- and the connection to his grandmother -- was important, John said another horse was more responsible for setting him on a course to becoming the most successful money-winning driver in the sport’s history ($294 million and counting).
“The one that I raced against the top horses at a young age was Derbys Gent… Derbys Gent was the first time I went to Roosevelt. I was 20 or 21 years old, I think,” John said. “We were racing at Monticello and he had won his way out of Monticello and they invited us down for just a special free-for-all. Then he raced against Rambling Willie and Handle With Care in the Provincial Cup at Windsor. He gave me a chance to see racing at the highest level.”
(Re-published with permission from ontariohorseracing.ca)