Macho Phil delivers Landon Campbell’s first lifetime win

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The Saturday card had a milestone moment at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park as rookie driver Landon Campbell scored his first career win.

The 18-year-old Orwell reinsman guided Macho Phil ($12.30) to a pocket riding victory in 1:59 from his own barn for owner Allie Campbell.

“First start back off qualifier, I just wanted to kind of give him an easy trip, let him come home,” Landon said of Macho Phil who went winless in 19 starts in 2025. “That was all I was kind of hoping for but the horse came back 20 times better than he did last year. He looked so much better, he felt so much better. You know, Allie (Campbell, Landon’s younger sister) did a really good job with him over the winter.”

Landon’s father, 16-time-straight Red Shores Charlottetown dash title champion Marc Campbell, was driving heavily favoured Handsoffnosein in Saturday’s bout and cut out the fractions of 29, 59.3 and 1:30.3 in the $3,350 overnight pace.

The younger Campbell was contently in the two-hole for the duration and angled out in a hard fought stretch battle to win by a quarter-length.

“I was just going through the motions, trying to treat it like another qualifier and not think about it too much. I just watched the replay there with mom and dad. It still doesn’t feel real. I told Dad when we were driving to the track ‘don’t give it to me. I want to earn it. And he made me earn it.’ I’m still in shock.”

The rookie says the plans for the his stable still involve his father doing the majority of the driving, with Landon looking for any driving opportunities available at both Island tracks this season.

FIRST WIN REPLAY

Landon admits growing up in his O’Brien Award winning father’s shadow has not been an easy task but he takes it all in stride.

“Obviously yeah, it’s a lot of pressure,” He said. “There’s a lot of people watching you. I have people texting me from the states and Ontario. I had James MacDonald texting me tonight. Whenever you know there’s that many people watching you it’s a lot of pressure. But I think I’ve gotten really good with my patience. We have 30 some horses here at the farm and working with two-year-olds all the time or three-year-olds trying to figure them out, you have to have some patience and you have to be able to withstand some pressure.”

In other racing action, Blood Money ($2.60) delivered another commanding performance in the $6,250 Preferred Pace for his fifth straight victory, this time in 1:52.4 for driver Gilles Barrieau, trainer Ron Matheson and owner Dr. Mitchell Downey. The 10-year-old son of Sweet Lou held off Twin B Tuffenuff (Driven by Corey MacPherson) by two-and-a-quarter lengths while Nuttin But Finesse (Mike Downey) completed the triactor.

One Eight Hundred ($3.90) was also razor sharp in race 7 as Barrieau sent the Matheson trainee directly to the lead and the veteran pacer held off a late charge from Fast Louie (David Dowling) to win in 1:53.1 for owner Dr. Downey. Barrieau tripled on the evening as Woodmere Mahomes ($2.50) was a winner in 1:57 from his own barn.

Reggie The Fourth ($2.10) continued his strong form in race 8, wiring the field in 1:55 for driver Marc Campbell while doubling trainer Landon Campbell.

Driver Paul Langille tripled on the card winning with Louie The Great ($3.60) for trainer Les Waite in 1:55.4, Starship Glyde ($15.50) in a front-stepping 1:56.2 win for conditioner Earl Watts and in a romp with Brookdale J Mac ($2.20) in 1:54 from the Phil Sizer barn.

The evening card also had a special presentation as Lee Drake, Red Shores Manager Racing, Marketing & Sales, handed driver Corey MacPherson his Gold Cup and Saucer commemorative ring for his 2025 victory with Miki Shan N.

Live racing continues Thursday evening at 6 P.M., at Red Shores Charlottetown.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores