Only six others in North America have surpassed 10,000 – Herve Filion [15,165], Cat Manzi [12,990], Dave Palone [12,335], Tony Morgan [12,251], Walter Case Jr. [11.028] and Dave Magee [10,912].

One night soon, someone will bring out a sign and another milestone will be recorded. Campbell will have accomplished this not as the big fish in a small pond but as the premier pilot on harness racing's toughest stage, the Meadowlands.

To know Campbell at all is to realize these things do not mean all that much to him. He is not driven to cross these statistical hurdles.

"I knew at the beginning of the year that I was getting close but didn't realize how close and hadn't thought about it in months," Campbell said, when apprised of the impending 10,000-victory mark.

"I didn't drive as many drives, per se, as a lot of people," he noted. "I've said before, it's a really good milestone, but the way it is set up today, there are a lot of guys that are going to get 10,000. It's not going to mean as much in the future.

"It's a good number [10,000], no question about that, but it isn't something I'm going to dwell on," he said, adding with a wry laugh, "There won’t be a party."

More tantalizing than the number of races won – from more than 54,000 drives – is Campbell's earnings record. His mounts have banked $253,592,023. That tops all drivers, including a nearly $80 million edge over the runner-up, Mike Lachance.

"I would expect someone would do that too [surpass his money record] if things continue the way they are today," he noted. "There are so many more opportunities to race day and night. Someone will eventually get to that."

One accomplishment that may stand the test of time is Campbell’s six trips to the winner's circle in the Hambletonian, one of the most prestigious trotting events in the world.

Campbell won his first Hambletonian in 1987 with Mack Lobell, was back in 1988 with Armbro Goal, made it a triple with Harmonious in 1990, paired with his brother, trainer Jim Campbell, to win in 1995 with Tagliabue, added a fifth in 1998 with Muscles Yankee and a sixth with Glidemaster in 2006.

"Definitely winning the last Hambletonian [with Glidemaster], meant a lot to me but the Mack Lobell and the Tagliabue were just as much or more important," he said.

Campbell is the only driver with six Hambletonian victories and the next best are a quartet Hall of Famers with four wins each– Ben White, William Haughton, Stanley Dancer and Mike Lachance.

Of that group, Lachance is still active. The only other double-winner who is still racing is Ron Pierce.

It has been 36 years since a then 17-year-old Campbell posted his first victory at Western Fair Raceway in London, Ontario, near his hometown of Ailsa Craig.

"I remember my first win very well with Noble Will," said Campbell. "It was a horse that my uncle let me drive, that he trained. He paid like $90 or $94 [actually $96]."

Since then, Campbell, who turned 53 in April, has risen to a preeminent role in the harness racing community not only for his horsemanship but also for his leadership.

However, any efforts to draft Campbell to be harness racing's commissioner or czar, to right the wrongs of the industry, might as well be abandoned.

"It's impossible to get anything done because of all the bureaucracies involved," he said. "It’s unfortunate, but it’s just the fact of life. With all the different state entities involved, government entities, they’re never going to relinquish control. A commissioner is unrealistic. The supposition of it is a moot point, in my opinion.

“With all the different organizations and commissions we have, we couldn’t even agree on where to have the meeting let alone what we would do at the meeting,” he mused. “We should have universal rules throughout North America. But we can’t get the basics done.”

So Campbell continues to make the short trek from his home of three decades in River Vale, NJ, to his “office” – the Meadowlands – to prepare for another night of racing.

Since 1978, Campbell has recorded 6,833 of his wins and nearly $140 million in purses at the Meadowlands. He tops the track’s all-time standings in both categories along with an unrivaled 16 driving titles between 1979 and 2001.

Two severe injuries from racing accidents in recent years have sidelined him for chunks of time – a fractured elbow [2003-2004] and a broken leg [on October 21, 2006 until returning April 1, 2007].

Despite these setbacks, Campbell does not seem inclined to retire. His exercise regime keeps him fit, and he gives himself an abbreviated schedule in the winter to stay fresh.

“I don’t race as much as I did," he conceded. "I just raced weekends through most of the winter, through January, February and March. To me that was refreshing. It's great to be involved with those stakes [in the spring and summer]. But I think you have to drive a certain amount in the winter just so people know you're out there and also for the fact that you're not rusty, that you're sharp and know what's going on.

"So the motivation for me comes from racing enough in the winter time that people want me to drive their horses in the stakes in the summer because that's what I look forward to," he added.

"Summertime [racing] never gets old," he noted. "The winter time is a grind, no question about that. I was really happy with my schedule in the winter time and from a mental standpoint, it worked very well for me.

"We [John and his wife, Paula] were down to Florida three or four times," he noted. "We'd go on a Sunday and come back on a Thursday or Friday morning. So I was back to race Friday and Saturday. I didn't miss any extended period, but we got four breaks in the winter when we’d go to Florida. We both play golf. We go down and get our golf fix, and we're good for a couple of more weeks."

Despite the reduced schedule, Campbell has recorded 65 Meadowlands wins and nearly $2 million in earnings this year, thus far, and ranks ninth in the driver standings.

Six of his eight victories this past week came with two-year-olds in Grand Circuit stakes – the Historic Series.

On Tuesday night [June 25], with two-year-old fillies, he won a pair of Debutante divisions with the pacers Twist N Clout [trained by Joe Holloway] and Melissa’s Fancy [James Dennis] as well as an Acorn Trot with Honorable Daughter [Larry Remmen].

The next night [June 26], the two-year-old colts took center stage and Campbell won with the pacer Major In Art [Justin Lebo] in the Goshen Cup and the trotter Vacation Day [Larry Remmen] in the Harriman Cup.

"I enjoy the stakes more than anything else, there’s no question about that," Campbell said. "Certainly when you get the two-year-olds coming up, it's something new to look forward to every year, how the ones you’re involved with develop. To get off to a good start during Grand Circuit week, that's fun. It's a highlight for me.

"Some of them surprised me," he observed, speaking of the two-year-olds. "As far as standouts, I'll reserve judgment for a couple of months because the two-year-olds, they can fool you. It's nice to see them develop and you feel great for the people involved with them. They spend all winter training them, have hopes and dreams, and when the colts turn out and can win a stakes, that's a big deal for them. It's nice to be a part of that."

The week was not without its disappointments.

The return of Snow White, the Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year in 2007, in the Coaching Club Trotting Oaks on Friday night [June 27], was much anticipated but continued to raise concerns about her future on the track.

Snow White, who had won 11 of 13 starts and trotted the fastest mile by a freshman, 1:52.4, had tie-back surgery in March to assist her breathing.

"I'm glad she's back," Campbell said before the race. "They were pretty positive with the way she trained since her last qualifier. We're hoping for good things from her. If she can breathe, she'll be fine. [But the problem] never shows up until they’re stressed hard. You can't see it before the race. It's difficult to fight something you can't see."

Sent off as the 1-5 favorite, Snow White broke stride heading into the final turn and finished off-the-board.

Sometimes even the best hands in harness racing cannot guarantee a winner.

"She was never trotting comfortably the whole mile," Campbell said after the race. "She was a little unsure of herself at the gate. I just couldn't keep her at it."

While Campbell, who has three daughters and two grandchildren, has spoken of retirement, it does not seem to be imminent. Even if the milestones are not that important, he is likely to keep adding more in the years to come.

"It's a one-year-at-a-time thing," he said. "It will depend on health, success and demand. As long as I'm enjoying it and getting reasonable opportunities to race in stakes in the summer time, I'm going to continue."

Carol Hodes