2022 BRUCE CAMPBELL AWARD

The 2022 BRUCE CAMPBELL AWARD was presented to Florida-based trainer Kathleen O’Connell. O’Connell is the most honored Florida-bred trainer with 18 awards to her credit.

The Bruce Campbell Award is presented by The Florida Horse magazine for Outstanding Achievement when deemed appropriate to individuals or groups who have brought honor and prestige to Florida’s Thoroughbred industry. It is named in honor of Bruce Campbell, who headed the nine-person syndicate which bought Dickey Stables in 1956 and renamed it Ocala Stud.

On March 12, 2023, she became the leading female Thoroughbred racehorse trainer by wins in North America. Florida-bred My Eagle Soars won the fifth race at Tampa Bay Downs that day, giving O’Connell 2,386 career wins. O’Connell co-owns My Eagle Soars with P and G Zambelli Inc.

My Eagle Soars, a 2020 chestnut gelding by Khozan out of Silver Rock (Ire), by Rock Gilbralter, was bred in the name of late Gilbert Campbell and his wife Marilyn’s Stonehedge LLC. O’Connell has trained for the Campbells since the 1990s, including winning 12 divisions of the Florida Sire Stakes.

O’Connell began training on her own in 1981 at Detroit Race Course before moving her operation to South Florida. She has been honored by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association 14 times as the leading Florida trainer by Florida-bred wins. Through her record-breaking win on March 12, 2023, she has started 17,316 Thoroughbreds with 2,386 wins, 2,280 seconds and 2,154 thirds with purse earnings of more than $46 million.