Veteran jockey Jesse Campbell’s lone 2017 goal is to stay healthy
TORONTO — Wielding a big stick created an unexpected result for Jesse Campbell.
The veteran jockey spent his off-season working for Home Stretch Homes, the renovation company Campbell operates in Chicago with his wife, Allyson. Campbell did the demolition on this year’s project himself using just a sledgehammer and crowbar.
Campbell welcomed the sustained activity, but the manual labour resulted in the 39-year-old Ohio native putting on muscle that forced him to shed roughly seven pounds to make weight for Woodbine Racetrack’s 2017 thoroughbred season.
Woodbine’s 133-day meet begins Saturday, and Campbell can’t wait. That’s because he’ll no longer have to wear three rubberized suits during workouts and spend long stretches in the sauna to cut weight.