Campbell reaches 2,500 wins

Harness racing driver Brandon Campbell won three times on Saturday (Apr. 22) at Century Downs to hit the milestone of 2,500 career victories.

Campbell’s first win of the night came against all odds as he got Iris Seelster (Bettors Delight) to close down a nine-length deficit in the last eighth of a mile at 28-1. The Nathan Sobey-trained filly is two-for-two this year after going winless through nine in 2023. The three-year-old has earned $14, 130 for Keith Clark.

IRIS SEELSTER REPLAY

Another swift-closing score in the ninth behind Wink N Win (Wink N Atcha) put Campbell within reach. The six-year-old circled five foes in the stretch to win the Preferred-2 Handicap in 1:54. Campbell also trains the gelding for Jodi Loftus and Raymond Henry of Calgary.

WINK N WIN REPLAY

Campbell’s 2,500th win came in the 11th race aboard Virtual Horizon (Vertical Horizon). The sophomore colt, who won his Alberta Sires Stakes Super Final last year, finished strongly to catch Hf Pans Shadow (Harold Haining) and take victory in his seasonal debut. He won by a length-and-a-half 1:56.2. Loftus and Henry share ownership in the winning colt with George Rogers. Campbell also trains Virtual Horizon.

VIRTUAL HORIZON REPLAY

Campbell reached 2,500 wins in 13,522. The Calgary-based horseman has tallied earnings of $15,925,226 lifetime. He is Canada’s top dash-winning driver so far this year and tops the standings at both Century Downs and Fraser Downs.

Also on the card, Stash The Cookies (Sunfire Blue Chip) captured the Fillies and Mares Preferred. Logan Gillis steered the mare to the convincing three-length victory, her first of the year, in 1:54.1. Betcha Baby (Campbell) finished second over Pirate Booty (Terry Kaufman).

STASH THE COOKIES REPLAY

Stash The Cookies was previously 0-for-4 third season but was a fixture in the top overnights of Alberta in 2022. The seven-year-old is 23-for-80 lifetime with $249,609 in earnings. Gillis conditions the mare for Derek Gilbert of Brandon.

Century Downs will continue racing on Friday, Apr. 28.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink