Post by Big Tee© on Feb 1, 2006 11:11:51 GMT -5
January 31, 2006
What does a great jockey's retirement have to do with harness racing? In the case of jockey Jerry Bailey, his retirement marked harness racing history, too.
The second Bailey finished his final mount at Gulfstream Park on January 28, harness racing driver John Campbell became the leading active earner among all drivers AND jockeys!
Not one day prior to this had a driver-an active driver-had more career earnings than the top active jockey, according to Meadowlands race analyst and harness racing statistician extraordinaire Bob Heyden.
Here are the five leaders on the all-time list for drivers/jockeys in career earnings in U.S. dollars:
1) John Campbell $232,070,251
2) Alex Solis $189,455,224
3) Jose Santos $189,455,224
4) Kent Desormeaux $179,966,290
5) Mike Smith $175,399,583
Campbell is the lone standardbred driver of the top five – all four others are jockeys.
Coincidentally, Campbell is the leading driver in this week's SC Poll, which asks readers to select the legendary Canadian driver's colours they'd be most likely to bid on in a charity auction
Mike Lachance is closest to Campbell in all-time driver earnings with $165,846,696 (U.S.).
From Standardbred Canada INsider News
