From Claimer to Derby 'Prospect'

By Steve Sherack 

As the push for expanded gaming continues to play out in Illinois, the state's longtime horsemen's association president and veteran trainer Michael Campbell currently has a nice distraction on his hands–a potential GI Kentucky Derby starter.

Private Prospect (Discreet Cat), a very solid fourth at odds of 21-1 in the Smarty Jones S. Jan. 19 (video), will attempt to continue his path to Louisville in Monday's GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn. 

“I'm like a kid in a candy shop,” Campbell commented. “I'm enjoying racing and having the time of my life with this horse. The experience with the Mellon family [owners of Private Prospect] and our family has been fantastic. It's really a pleasant time in my life right now.” 

After reaching nearly $800,000 in earnings during the 2006 season and saddling as many as 193 starters in 2008, Campbell began downsizing his operation in recent years to focus more on his duties at the ITHA. 

“My entire being has been in trying to give back to the industry, particularly in Illinois, to try and pass a gaming bill that would put us on a level playing field with the surrounding states,” Campbell said. 

Campbell continued, “I determined a long time ago that I couldn't do both. I couldn't spend the amount of time working with the ITHA and continue to have a large stable. I purposely chose to scale down until I could get the industry back on track in Illinois, or at least help with that process. We passed two gaming bills and the spring legislative session will either bring us relief or it will not. Frankly, we're riding on the coattail of Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of the city of Chicago, whether he wants a casino downtown or not.” 

Politics aside, Private Prospect, has done very little wrong in his first six career starts. The bay–claimed for $50,000 off Big Chief Racing and trainer Keith Desormeaux out of his successful Arlington bow June 26–added the Prairie Gold Juvenile S. July 19 and the Prairie Meadows Juvenile Mile S. Aug. 9, respectively, in his first two starts for Campbell and George Mellon's Mellon Patch Inc. Things didn't go exactly quite as smooth before the $28,000 KEESEP yearling made his debut, though. 

“I was able to get the claim in at the last minute, but then the horse flipped in the paddock and broke jockey Sheldon Russell's leg,” Campbell explained. “At that point I was saying, 'Boy, I wish I had my money back.' They still ran the horse [Florent Geroux picked up the mount] and he won easy.” 

This isn't the first time that Campbell has had success out of the claiming box. He also haltered subsequent 2006 GIII Robert F. Carey Memorial H. hero No Tolerance (Afternoon Deelites) for $30,000 and 2006 GIII Fifth Season S. victor Kid Grindstone (Grindstone) for $40,000, respectively. 

Private Prospect came within a head of completing Campbell's personal trifecta when a painful second in the GIII Arlington-Washington Futurity Sept. 6 (video), his first career defeat. He reported home a distant ninth after tossing a shoe at the start in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 1. 

“I don't even know how he finished the race,” Campbell reflected of the Breeders' Cup. “It really speaks to his character and toughness.” 

Campbell began training for Mellon in the mid-1990s. The two enjoyed immediate success with a hard-knocking Illinois-bred mare named Shannon's Innocent, a $12,500 purchase who posted nearly $275,000 in career earnings. Mellon sold his primary business, a high-risk insurance company in Illinois, while his wife Mary was a longtime general manager of Marshall Field department stores in Chicago. Campbell currently has an eight-horse stable at Oaklawn as well as six 2-year-olds in training in Ocala, all for the Mellons. 

“Mr. Mellon has always had a desire to own racehorses,” Campbell said. “He was immediately hooked [after Shannon's Innocent]. It was like a guy who bets $2 and gets a $1,000 exacta back. He's given me a special opportunity to train this horse.” 

Their current stable star is expected to re-oppose the Smarty Jones top three of Far Right (Notional), Bayerd (Speightstown) and Mr. Z (Malibu Moon) in the Southwest. Private Prospect reported home 2 3/4 lengths adrift last time while carrying five more pounds than the winner. 

“I had a few setbacks with him going into the Smarty Jones,” Campbell warned. “I didn't feel like I had him totally at his best. I anticipated a solid showing, though.” 

Private Prospect worked five furlongs in 1:01 (4/74) at Oaklawn Feb. 7. He was produced by the stakes-placed Private Terms mare Private Deputy, who began her career with three straight victories in New York and Philadelphia. 

“We're very optimistic about the Southwest,” Campbell concluded. “I wouldn't trade places with anybody in this race. I'm so confident that this horse is going to give it his best effort.”