Campbell to miss time after surgery

While Brandon Campbell is historically spotted frequently in a racebike — and in the winner’s circle — at tracks across western Canada, the successful harness racing horseman will be out of action for the foreseeable future due to upcoming surgery.

Coming off back-to-back career years in 2022 and 2023 where the Calgary, Alta. resident posted more than 266 wins, more than $2 million in purses, and a UDRS over 0.400, Campbell’s numbers have been solid in 2024 but he’s been forced to cut back on his driving assignments due to his health. His 2024 driving numbers are still solid — 116-82-72 in 442 starts, good for a 0.419 UDRS with more than $1.06 million in purses. Extrapolate those numbers to his 2022 and 2023 drive quantity, and he’s right there.

But 2024 was a different year for Campbell. The top driver for earnings ($756,419) and wins (115) at Fraser Downs in 2023, Campbell cut the travel back and forth to B.C. out of his schedule and didn’t make a driving appearance at the Surrey five-eighths mile oval this season. He was also forced to the sidelines for most of April and May because of his spinal injury, taking him out of the 2024 Western Regional Driving Championship at Century Downs.

Last competing as a driver at Century Mile on Nov. 8, Campbell told Trot Insider that he will take a hiatus from driving until the spring. He has surgery scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 4 to remove a piece of a disc that is pressing on a nerve. The timetable for his return after surgery is roughly four months.

“What I do know is that they give no guarantees,” Campbell told Trot Insider. “The surgeon said that this will remove the nerve pain but they are not certain what it will do for back pain. The great news is that it doesn’t stop at surgery… they continue working on me afterwards with physical therapy. So that’s very promising.

“It’s going to be a long grind but I have a great crew at the barn to help me out.”

Campbell’s crew is keeping him in the hunt at Century Mile as he seeks a sweep of the training titles at Alberta’s Century racing properties. His 53 wins and $554,117 in earnings at Century Downs topped all trainers in 2024, and he’s the top conditioner at Century Mile this year with $240,388 in purses. On the win ledger, with 21 victories he’s currently four behind Travis Ellis, who has sent out 25 winners at the Edmonton area oval this season.

Lifetime, Brandon Campbell boasts 2,797 driving wins with more than $18.6 million in earnings, with 891 training tallies and $6.1 million as a trainer.

From Standardbred Canada