Elijah Merritt has the right mindset between the pipes and in the paddock
by Chris Lomon
There is a specific moment, every race night, when goaltender and groom Elijah Merritt finds himself in hockey-mindset mode.
In his world, it is not unlike the moments leading up to puck drop during the Stanley Cup playoffs, the time when nervous energy intersects with steely focus and a singular goal.
“I get nervous when I am walking one of our horses out of the paddock,” said Merritt, who has worked as a caretaker in the barn of Marc Campbell since 2019. “You get that rush of excitement that keeps growing until the race starts.”
Merritt, born and raised in Charlottetown, capital of Canada’s Prince Edward Island, first had that experience during his childhood days at the racetrack.
Every visit seemed like the first time.
“I remember sitting up in the grandstand and watching the races, watching the horses,” Merritt said. “I always wanted to be down in the barn to see the horses and once in a while, my dad would take me there and I didn’t want to leave.”
Hockey would play a key role in bringing Merritt into the standardbred world.
“I actually played hockey with [trainer, son of Marc Campbell] Landon Campbell growing up,” Merritt said. “I started spending more time at the racetrack and I just kind of stuck around after that. It was around 2019 when I started going to the track on a more consistent basis. I just enjoyed it a lot.”
Enough to lead him to work for the elder Campbell, a respected and decorated horseman with over 3,500 driving wins, 1,000 training victories, and a pair of O’Brien Award of Horsemanship trophies to his name.
Merritt fit in seamlessly from the start.
“It has been amazing,” he said. “Right now, I am looking after six horses. We are getting some more coming in, so I might have some more to care for, which would be great.”
He’d be thrilled if any of them were able to match strides with Buckhead Ridge.
The 6-year-old trotting son of Nuncio (PA) out of the Cantab Hall mare Tuonela had a remarkable 2025 campaign.
“This guy has been phenomenal since we’ve had him,” Merritt said. “He had 18 wins [from 27 starts] in 2025, and we are looking forward to hopefully even more this year. He’s easy-going and he’s easy on himself. He’s just very relaxed and he has a lot of talent.”
Which might be somewhat of an understatement for a horse whose hockey comparison could easily be all-time great Sidney Crosby.
Buckhead Ridge became the fastest trotter of all time at Charlottetown on Aug. 9, 2025, trotting a 1:55.2 mile and then matched that performance on Sept. 4.
Trained by Landon for Brady Doyle of Stratford, PEI, Buckhead Ridge has recorded $157,687 in purse earnings in 64 lifetime outings.
“All you can really say is that he is an exceptional horse, just great in every way,” Merritt said.
Buckhead Ridge and other horses under Merritt’s care have an encouraging presence and voice whenever they go postward.
Depending on the night and the race itself, he can run the gamut from vocal cheerleader to quiet encourager.
“I think I’m a little bit of everything,” he said. “When they are on the lead, I like to scream, but I do try and keep my composure. It’s the best feeling in the world when they win. I don’t think there is any way I could ever describe it.
“The best part of my job is when you put the hard work into the horses and then they go out and win. It’s a good feeling.”
Merritt believes horses know when they cross the wire first – he’s also certain to give them a pat and a kind word to remind them that they did.
“They all have different personalities, but you can tell they know when they have won,” he said. “They are proud of themselves.”
Around four years ago, Merritt strengthened his connection to the pacers and trotters under his watchful eye, including his work with a son of Stonebridge Terror, who won the $25,000 3-year-old pacing colt final on Atlantic Breeders Cup Day in 2022.
The caretaker seemed to have the magic touch.
“I love jogging the horses,” Merritt said. “I first did it about four years ago. My first one was with a horse named Fern Hill Gusto. He ended up winning the [Atlantic] Breeders Crown out here after I jogged him for the first time. That was great, being associated with him and seeing him win that race.
“I was nervous the first few times I jogged horses, but now, it’s an everyday thing and there are no nerves at all.”
Instead, it is — along with everything else associated with racing — pure joy and fulfillment.
Merritt doesn’t even need to be in his home province to feel that way.
Earlier this year, he joined the Campbells — Landon was a finalist in the Rising Star category — at the O’Brien Awards gala in London, ON, the annual ceremony that fetes Canada’s top horses and horsepeople.
Merritt also found time to enjoy the Ontario racing scene.
“We went to Mohawk for two race nights and I helped the Cullens [trainer, Jody and driver, Travis] for one of those nights, just paddocking,” Merritt said. “It was a great experience. We also went to Flamboro and Marc drove a couple. The whole trip, including going to the O’Brien Awards, was amazing.”
He left the Prince Edward Island Standardbred Horse Owners Association (PEISHOA) Awards banquet with the same feeling.
Merritt joined Marc Campbell, who took home a pair of honors, Leading Percentage Driver and Leading Dash Winner Driver, as a trophy recipient when he was named Male Groom of the Year for 2025.
Consider the honor Merritt’s version of winning the NHL’s iconic Stanley Cup.
“I truly love what I do, and it means a lot to be recognized,” he said.
Horses and hockey will no doubt play a big role in his life for years to come.
“I play baseball as well, but hockey is my top hobby, for sure,” he said. “And I definitely want to stick around in racing. I’m in school right now, but I want to own a few horses when I’m older.”
