A roundtable talk with the eight drivers looking to be crowned Canada’s champion.
By Darryl Kaplan
TROT: There is often a question of fairness heading into this type of event. While provisions are usually made regarding post positions, the luck of the draw often plays a big role in determining the winner. What do you think of the concept of the drivers choosing their horses, like in a draft, but still ensuring each driver gets every post just once?
Jody Jamieson: I have never raced under the draft format. I think it would be really fun and add some more intrigue to it. There’s always the issue of fairness coming in. I think it’s real, no matter what competition you’re in. You could draw the fifth best horse in every race and have no chance at winning. Anything we can do to make it a little more fair, would be an improvement.
Ryan Ellis: What’s wrong with the idea of a straight draft? Each driver would pick their horse once. I like the idea of a draft style but I don’t think it should be limited by post position. I think each person should choose first, once, in each race. If you’re the first pick, you take what you want (the other seven in each race would be drawn).
Jody Jamieson: To me, I don’t have a strong opinion either way but I like the idea of not having the same post twice. I like (the idea of) picking at least one drive on the card.
Sylvain Lacaille: I like the post position idea because if you get a bad post, especially on a half mile, it can hurt you. I think if each driver draws each post position once, it is probably more fair. I think it should be picked out the way it used to be. Like the guys say, I don’t know how you would be able to do that. To be fair, on a half mile track, post position gives you a real advantage, if you draw a 1/2/3 you have a better chance.
Jim Marino: Not sure there is a more fair way to do it than the traditional method, with an open draw. I got a bad draw in my regional event, but it was at my home track so that’s why I made it through.
(After this conversation, NDC officials did finalize a draft style format for the competition, to be conducted a few days before the event)
TROT: What about the idea of a local advantage. Marc Campbell and Ryan Ellis probably know this track and the horses the best, while others in this field, like the guys out west, rarely race on half mile tracks. How much of an advantage is being at home?
Marc Campbell: There’s probably a difference. Ryan and I know the horses more than the guys out there and we know the track a little bit better, but great drivers come to race. It doesn’t really matter what track they’re on.
Jody Jamieson: I think Marc and Ryan definitely have a huge advantage because they know the horses. One hundred percent, the local guys know who the better horses are. Watching the races week in, week out, helps.
Brandon Campbell: I don’t think you’ll ever find a perfect medium of fairness across the board, it’s the luck of the draw right from the get go. We don’t have half mile racing anymore, but we’ve all driven on a half mile track before and it’s definitely different. We’re just happy to come out, it’s going to be entertaining and it’s all for fun. Half mile is a half mile, but every track is different. Grand River is a tiring track, Flamboro is a speed track. Every track is different, you have to gauge everything and decide for yourself how it is.
Jim Marino: The home track is a bit of an advantage. At the end of the day it’s still a drivers challenge. The track at Fraser Downs is actually converted to five-eighths, but because of the hockey rink, one of the turns is really a half mile turn, so I’m driving over this all the time.
Sylvain Lacaille: As a reflection, I think all these guys drive so many races every year, some drive at different tracks and I think it’s a reflex and you get to know it.
Marc Campbell: We have two tracks in PEI and they’re two completely different tracks to drive at with good points and bad points.
TROT: There’s an idea that drivers are going to send their horses hard to the lead over a half mile track. If you draw inside, are you always trying to get to the front?
Jody Jamieson: I’m just going to send them all. I’m even going to out-send Billy. (all laughing)
Brandon Campbell: I thought I was going to do that last time I was in this event, but I think I’ll just sit back and watch this time.
Jim Marino: Half mile racing is about speed. The stretch is too short to take back. Guys are a touch more aggressive in this type of event. But at Fraser Downs they drive aggressive, so I’m used to it.
Sylvain Lacaille: It definitely depends on what horses you have. I participated a couple years ago and I wish it had been on a five-eighths or a mile track, but PEI is a beautiful track.
TROT: The winner of this event will be heading to Australia to compete in the World Driving Championship. Australia has several different rules and customs, like allowing drivers to push out, larger fields, different distances, and more narrow racebikes. Would you like to see any of these rules come to Canadian racing?
Marc Campbell: Pushing out? Anthony MacDonald has been doing that for years. (all laughing)
Guy Gagnon: I think we have a good spectacle and put on a good show. I was happy that they brought in the whipping rule, but otherwise I like the rules that we have.
Sylvain Lacaille: It’s for sure different in Europe and other places, like Australia. It’s distance. I’ve been in Europe and I went with the judges in the middle of the track and it’s very different racing. It’s different but I think we’re all professional drivers and can adjust to the race we have to drive. Otherwise if I go to Australia or any of you guys go, I for sure think it will be really fun and I can’t wait to see how they do it. It’s part of the challenge.
Jody Jamieson: I think there’s a million rules we could look into for enforcing across Canada but as far as bringing in something else for our judges to adjudicate on, I think they should keep their rules in Australia and leave us be. There’s enough that we don’t use already.
Brandon Campbell: In terms of field size, if it’s only a mile race with 14 horses, what happens when you leave in 14th and they go a slow half, you have no chance of a cheque. If we changed our driving style, maybe we’d be good with a different type of racing.
Jim Marino: The only one that appeals to me is longer distances. The breed is getting faster. You see horses come home fast and know they have more in the tank. Longer races would create bigger payoffs.
Jody Jamieson: As a driver, it doesn’t matter the field size to me, if it’s best for our game. But there’s no documentation that shows it’s better for our game. If we come up with a new idea that will save our industry, then go with it, but larger fields won’t create any more interest. If you can bring the horses in by narrowing the racebikes, it could help, but my mindset is that it needs to be better for everyone.
Sylvain Lacaille: The concern is the betting. The betting is down and we have to do something about that because the slot machines are just a big band-aid over it. I don’t think we can think much about the government support anymore and we have to help ourselves now. We can do anything we want, but it would be smart for sure in PEI with tourists, to have big fields. I think distances could be fun and would be interesting for the people who bet. I think with a five eighths mile race, do it in a straightaway, so anyone can win.
Jody Jamieson: We should do a study on how much the French horseman groups spend to promote their product vs. Australia and vs. Ontario. We don’t spend enough - but there might not be enough anymore. Australia markets horse racing like a basketball team. Until we spend money… that’s been proven, that’s how you bring people in. If Ontario or Canada spent more money marketing the product, we’d be doing better
Ryan Ellis: PEI is probably the biggest on marketing. Marketing is good down here but we can always do more. Marketing is the key to success for harness racing.
TROT: The current NDC regional format does not have any U.S. based, Canadian drivers competing. People like John Campbell, Mark MacDonald and Yannick Gingras are all Canadians, but aren’t included. Do you agree or disagree with that?
Ryan Ellis: I don’t understand why they wouldn’t be, in every other sport you’re allowed to represent your country.
Sylvain Lacaille: I think it’s a matter of representing our region, I wouldn’t mind changing my bank account with them. First of all, we won’t see them in the tourney because they’re heavily involved in stakes and travel quite a bit. They’re great drivers, but it gives a chance to the other guys. That’s how I take it, I’m sure they’re super good drivers, I would change my place with them any time. They do a good job and work hard, but that’s home to them. Sometimes you pay the price to move out, and I think it’s a matter of choice, but I’m happy to represent my region.
Brandon Campbell: They’re Canadian drivers, but how would you work them in to the tournament? How would you decide?
Ryan Ellis: I do agree with Brandon, it would be hard to pick, where would you put them? Would Gingras be in Quebec, Mark in PEI?
Jody Jamieson: I think it would be really easy to put John Campbell in there for the Western regional event (laughing). I think you give that up when you go to the States, I’d love to be in the U.S. but I’m here. If you’re not here competing, if that’s not what you want to do, I don’t think they should have an invitation extended to them at all.
Jim Marino: I do think they should be invited to the qualifiers, like everybody else. It’s a pretty cool thing that’s being done. I’m sure there are other guys that would love to compete.
TROT: On a day to day basis, with drivers you are familiar with, does trash talking take place before races? Do you think you’ll be trying to get into the heads of your rivals before this event?
Jody Jamieson: I would never ever think of trash talking my fellow drivers and will not be doing that in this event (some laughing).
Sylvain Lacaille: I agree with you, Jody.
Brandon Campbell: You do it long enough; you always get under someone’s skin. I’ve gotten guys aggravated and told them I’m going to out leave them when I don’t want to leave at all. But, we aren’t trying to make enemies.
Billy Davis: I don’t think it’ll happen in the event and Jody is very very kind to everybody in the driver’s room (laughing). No, I imagine it will happen quite a bit.
Guy Gagnon: I’ve been in different tournaments with some of these guys but I think you do your work on the racetrack.
Jody Jamieson: Once Guy (Gagnon) gets to the front, he doesn’t like to give it up and that’s how he does his trash talking.
Jim Marino: Like in the dressing room before hockey, you keep the mood light, but as far as trash talking, only a little here and there. To me once the race is on, the race is on.
TROT: The NDC will coincide with the Premiers Conference in PEI. What do you think of competing in front of all of Canada’s Premiers?
Jody Jamieson: I can’t wait to see Kathleen (Wynne) down there, and congratulate her on her majority.
Billy Davis: Yes, we’ll have a chat!
Jim Marino: If there was ever a place to impress the Premiers, it would be in Prince Edward Island. I know guys that have been to the Jug and Derby and they say Gold Cup and Saucer is the best event there is. So what better place?
Sylvain Lacaille: I’m sure for all purposes, we’ll give them the best show we can and for sure if I see my Premier, I will pass a word to him. A good one. I will let him know we’re here to stay.
TROT: Finally, what is your mindset going into this event?
Sylvain Lacaille: I really enjoyed it last time and this time I’m going for real. I want to win! I think it’s great, and anybody representing the group, I’ll be happy for them. We’re all competitive and we all want to win. We’re there to have fun but at the same time, we’re competitors.
Brandon Campbell: Last time I went down, I went with the mind frame that I was excited, and go and win this thing. All it did was nerve me up, so this time it’ll be fun and I’ll compete and try my hardest, but I’m going to go in with the fun mind frame and enjoy the experience.
Ryan Ellis: I’m just excited to be going and representing Atlantic Canada with Marc and hopefully draw some good horses and some good luck.
Marc Campbell: I’m going to go and try to win it.
Billy Davis: Marc can try all he wants, but I’m going to win this competition!
Jim Marino: I’m going there to soak it all in and have as much fun as I can. The driving part, that’s what we do. I’m there to win but I really want to enjoy the moment as much as I can.
Guy Gagnon: The last time I was in the competition, I got beat at the very end by one point, but this time I’m going to try to lead all the way and keep the lead to the end.
Jody Jamieson: I want to win and represent Canada. If I win, it’ll be the fifth time. It’s near and dear to my heart and it’s in PEI and I don’t think there’s anywhere else you’d want to qualify. You would think it’d be easier but it gets more nerve-wracking every time, I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself.
