by Bob Heyden

Everyone knows that John Campbell is the all-time Hambletonian leader in wins (six) and earnings ($6,550,344). Here’s his results broken down by his age: 20s (2 0-1-0), 30s (10 3-1-2), 40s (9 2-1-1), 50s (8 1-2-2), and 60s (1 0-0-0).

Here’s a closer look at the other Johns who competed/cashed in the 99 Hambletonians.

John Simpson, Sr. had an amazing run from 1949-65 competing and hitting the board an incredible nine times: Rocco Hanover (1949) third, Stars Pride (1950) second, Duke Of Lullwater (1952) third, Leopold Hanover (1955) third, Hickory Smoke (1957) first, Caleb (1961) second, Isaac (1962) second, Elma (1963) third, Ayres (1964) first. Ten checks (2-3-4) on that amazing run. He’s also the only driver to get two different checks in the same Hambletonian. In 1957, he was also second twice with Section Man who was twice the runner-up to Hoot Song (fourth money overall) in the only Hambletonian ever to see two colts with multiple wins. In 1970, Simpson’s son John Simpson, Jr. won with Timothy T who was from the first crop of his 1964 Triple Crown winner Ayres.

Since Jan is a form of John in various languages, let’s take a look at a couple of them. Jan Johnson was in two finals and didn’t cash, yet did train the 1988 winner Armbro Goal. Jan Nordin was 8 0-0-1 ($149,287) in the Hambletonian. But his impact was with his 1984 starter Baltic Speed as a sire having both Peace Corps and Valley Victory from his first crop.

Here’s a look at Johns who cashed on the biggest stage:

• John Dodge (1933) was fourth with Hollywood Porta.

• Johnny Takter was 2 0-0-0 good for $94,000 in his limited appearances in 2013 and 2015.

• John Patterson, Jr. won a Hambletonian heat each of his first two years with MB Felty in 1991 and King Conch in 1992, both as favorites. Overall, he made four finals: 4 0-2-1 ($884,500) as both his elim winners were runners-up in the final.

• John Plutino (1997) got fifth in his lone Hambletonian try with Giant Special.

• John Simpson, Jr. (1970) won at 27 years of age, but his next dozen tries yielded just $36G.

• John Stark, Jr. (2006) made $75,000 finishing fifth with Algiers Hall.

• John (Duke) Sugg (2002) banked $8,000 with Really Suspicious, third in his elim and eighth in the final.

TIME IS ON MY SIDE

Speaking of Campbell in the Hambletonian, how about Jim Campbell. Jim holds the record for time between Hambletonian wins — 27 years — with Tagliabue (1995) and Cool Papa Bell (2022). Right behind are Ron Pierce (14 years) with American Winner (1993) and Donato Hanover (2007). Then in order are: Jimmy Takter (13 years) with Malabar Man (1997) and Muscle Massive (2010), Del Cameron (11 years) with Newport Dream (1954) and Egyptian Candor (1965), and Fred Egan (nine years) with Spencer Scott (1940) and Miss Tilly (1949).

TAKING THE FIFTH, HAMBLETONIAN STYLE

These Hambletonian finalists only managed to get fifth place, but that didn’t stop them from going on to better things.

1964 — Speedy Count twice sired a Hambletonian winner: Steve Lobell (1976) and Burgomeister (1980).

1971 — Quick Pride quietly managed to easily out earn the Hambletonian winner Speedy Crown at year’s end.

1977 — Cold Comfort dominated in the Roosevelt International Trot the following year against the best in the world.

2014 — Resolve got it together a couple of years later to capture the Yonkers International Trot.

2016 — Bar Hopping sired Trotter of the Year Bella Bellini.

24 FACTS FOR 24 YEARS AT DUQUOIN

Here are 24 facts about the Hambletonian’s 24 years in DuQuoin, IL.

1. John Simpson, Jr. was 27 when he won in 1970 with Timothy T, making him the youngest Hambletonian winning driver for over a decade until Tommy Haughton won with Speed Bowl (1982) at age 25.

2. “Caretaker to the Stars,” Pat Troll, assisted Corinne Tripp in 1979 prepping Legend Hanover and then bounced right back with Burgomeister in 1980.

3. DuQuoin hosted the first sub 2:00 Hambletonian mile in 1958 when Emilys Pride went 1:59.4. Twenty years later, in 1978, the Illinois mile oval saw both Speedy Somolli and Florida Pro each hit the magic number of 1:55.

4. All four of Billy Haughton’s driving wins came in the final seven editions of the Hambletonian at DuQuoin: Christopher T (1974), Steve Lobell (1976), Green Speed (1977), and the finale in 1980 with Burgomeister.

5. DuQuoin was the host of the first Hambletonian worth over a quarter-of-a-million: Steve Lobell (1976) $263,524.

6. Four times a DuQuoin Hambletonian winner sired a DuQuoin Hambletonian winner: Ayres (1964) sired Timothy T (1970), Speedy Scot (1963) sired Speedy Crown (1971), Nevele Pride (1968) sired Bonefish (1975), and Super Bowl (1972) sired Legend Hanover (1979).

7. Red Skelton was at the 1980 Hambletonian and for the second straight year Stan “The Man” Musial was the parade host.

8. Frank Ervin and 1979 winner Legend Hanover led the 1980 Hambletonian field to post.

9. Bruce Nickells, who turns 97 in July, was in three Hambletonians and rolled a seven each time: Scribe Rodney (1964), Chaco (1973), and Lolas Express (1976). He is the oldest living former Hambletonian driver.

10. All eight of Stars Pride’s Hambletonian credits came at DuQuoin.

11. Fairmount Hanover quietly finished fifth in 1973, but witnessed way more than most going forward living to the ripe old age of 37.

12. Bonefish (1975) is still the only Hambletonian winner never to race again.

13. Jan Johnson, Berndt Lindstedt and Carl Allen are the only three drivers to have raced at both DuQuoin and in a 21st century Meadowlands Hambletonian.

14. Only one driver won a Hambletonian at DuQuoin and did not get inducted into the Hall of Fame, Flave Nipe (1958). Del Cameron, who won in 1965 and 1967, went in as an Immortal in 1979.

15. Howard Beissinger loved the DuQuoin Hambletonian. He won his debut in 1969 with Lindys Pride as the only driver to debut and win the Triple Crown. Two years later he dominated with Speedy Crown and then with his son Speedy Somolli in 1978. Oddly, his largest Hambletonian check came without a victory, at The Meadowlands, with Torway (1985) who finished second for $318,000.

16. I don’t think Hakan Wallner liked DuQuoin very much. He participated in his first five Hambletonians there, without cashing. He bounced back in good order taking down $372,400 in six Meadowlands finals later on.

17. Four heats at DuQuoin in 1960, 1965, 1975 and the last one, 49 years ago, in 1976.

18. Peter Haughton drove in four DuQuoin Hambletonian races good for $46,684.

19. In 1975, Walter Ross just missed with Yankee Bambino to Bonefish. neither ever competed again. Flave Nipe also made just the one start in the Hambletonian at DuQuoin with the HOY Emilys Pride in 1958.

20. In 1980, the last year at DuQuoin before moving east to The Meadowlands, there was a New Jersey flavor in the Hambletonian Oaks via winner Kading, owned by Arnold Bachner of North Bergen, NJ. On the Hambletonian side, one New Jersey owner, Robert Hiemstra of Wayne, was in the house, but his colt Balboa finished seventh.

21. Three Hambletonian trainers on the 1980 DuQuoin Hambletonian card who would go on to win a Hambletonian at The Meadowlands were Stanley Dancer (1983), Jan Johnson (1988) and Billy Haughton (1982).

22. Thirteen of the 18 entrants in the last DuQuoin Hambletonian (1980) were sired by former Hambletonian winners.

23. Owner Hubert Horst Reidel of Fort Lauderdale, FL, competed in the last Hambletonian at DuQuoin and the very first one at The Meadowlands. Final Score was second in 1980 and Charter Party in 1981 did not get any $$ as his summary was only good enough for sixth.

24. Tommy Haughton was exactly 6 months old when the first DuQuoin Hambletonian took place, and 23 years later he won a Hambletonian heat in his debut and was second overall with Final Score.