Campbell To End 20-Year Hiatus

Published: July 10, 2015 03:54 pm EDT

It is no secret that ‘Mr. Harness Racing’ John Campbell has been to scores of different tracks over the past few decades. That is why it is hard to fathom that this Sunday afternoon (July 12) he will be competing at a track that he has not driven at in over 20 years.

Campbell will make an appearance at Buffalo Raceway for the first time in over 20 years this Sunday, as he will be driving in New York Sire Stakes action that features three-year-old trotting fillies.

The last time Campbell raced at Buffalo Raceway was back on July 5, 1992 when drove in the $133,000 final of the Hopeful Stakes aboard Giant Thrill. His last win at the Hamburg half-mile oval located at the Erie County Fairgrounds was on W R H on June 24, 1990 in an elimination race of the Hopeful Stakes.

Campbell, who was elected into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 1990, has won 10,841 races in his career with purse earnings of over $296 million. He has won the prestigious Hambletonian and the North America Cup six times apiece and has also taken the Little Brown Jug three times.

The 60-year-old Campbell is scheduled to steer Jewels In Hock and Dancewithme Chuck in the two NYSS events and will drive Miss BVille J and Nunkeri in the Excelsior 'A' races.

Along with Campbell, several other top-name drivers will be in town including Andy Miller, Jim Morrill Jr. and former western New York regulars Ray Schnittker and Jeff Gregory.

Along with a slew of great drivers, Barn Doll, a winner of over $400,000 in earnings in just 15 career starts, looks to make it six straight victories in the first division of the NYSS.

Barn Doll (Conway Hall-Headintheclouds) set the track record at Saratoga on June 4 with a 1:55.3 time over the half-time track. Buffalo Raceway's standard is 1:59 for three-year-old fillies set by Glowngold in 2014.

She also won impressively in the $248,275 Empire Breeders Crown on June 21 at Vernon Downs in 1:52.1. Barn Doll is co-owned locally by Steven and Nancy Pratt of Corfu, N.Y. and the Purple Haze Stables of Fairport, N.Y. Barn Doll is 5-for-6 in 2015 with $193,074 in the bank.

It's also 'Sunday Funday' at Buffalo Raceway as the 13-race card gets underway at 1:05 p.m. There's free cotton candy and ‘sno’ cones for the kids along with crafts and a bounce house. The trackside grill will also be open.

For more information including upcoming promotions, the latest news, results and race replays, head on over to buffaloraceway.com.

(Buffalo Raceway)

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