Known as "The Pacing Machine," Cam Fella established himself as a top horse not only on the race track but also in the breeding shed, joining that elite crowd of Bret Hanover, Albatross and a few others. Standing only 15.1 hands, Cam Fella had a presence on the racetrack that made him appear as if he were a giant among his peers.

Cam Fella was bred by Wilfred Cameron of Washington, Pennsylvania. Mr. Cameron owned Nan Cam, but was later forced to sell the mare in foal and as a result, her colt Cam Fella sold one year later at public auction. Trainer-driver Doug Arthur purchased Cam Fella for a scant $19,000 at the 1980 Tattersalls Sale in Lexington, Kentucky. One of the reasons for the seemingly low price tag is that Cam Fella was a ridgling.

Cam Fella's two-year-old campaign began slowly under Arthur's conditioning and it wasn't until the end of 1981 that the youngster began to show signs of better things to come. He earned only $17,588 that first year, pacing in 2:00.2 and winning three of 11 starts, with a trio of seconds and three thirds as well to his credit. That was enough to draw the attention of trainer-driver Pat Crowe and owners Norm Clements and Norm Faulkner, and the pair eventually shelled out $140,000 for the horse.

Cam Fella responded to his new connections by promptly winning his first sophomore start in 1:58.4 at the Meadowlands with Crowe at the lines. He would go on to win 28 of 33 starts, earning $879,723 enroute to winning the Can Pace, the Messenger, the Confederation Cup, the Queen City Stake, the Prix d'Ete, the Hopeful Series, the New Faces Series, and the Monticello Classic elim, among others. He was easily voted USTA and Canadian Horse of the year for 1982 after recording a time trial record of p,3, T1:54.4. Unfortunately, he was not eligible to the Little Brown Jug, but he was still named Three-Year-Old Pacer of the Year and Horse of the Year for 1982.

The following season Cam Fella had to take on the best aged pacers in North America, and he set about winning free for alls at nearly every major racetrack, in a campaign that including a 28-consecutive win streak. Again, he recorded 30 of 36 victories, with four seconds and a pair of third-place finishes and over $1.1 million in seasonal earnings. He was named Champion Aged Pacer for 1983 and Horse of the Year for 1983. He was also named Canadian Horse of the Year.

That was the end of his racing career, and his stats stood at 61-9-5 from 80 lifetime starts, with a record $2,041,367 in earnings, retiring as the richest Standardbred in history. He has since been inshrined in both the USTA Harness Racing Hall of Fame at Goshen, New York and in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

During his career Cam Fella posted more consecutive 2:00 victories (32) than any Standardbred in history, and held track records at Roosevelt, Sportsman's Park, Edmonton, Greewood, Mohawk, Pompano Park and Cloverdale Raceway.

Cam Fella is the sire of 14 millionaires and four winners of the Little Brown Jug. He sired 13 crops of foals, who to date (June 2004) have earned 105,031,676. From 860 starters, he has sired 657 who've paced in 2:00 or faster and 298 in 1:55 or better.

Some of his top performers include the amazing pacing mare Eternal Camnation, a winner of $3.5+million, with a five-year-old record of 1:49.2, and Armbro Positive, p, 6, 1:48 ($1+million). Other top progeny include Presidental Ball, p, 3, 1:50 ($3+million); Cam's Card Shark, p, 3, 1:50 ($2.4+million); Precious Bunny p, 3, 1:49.4 (2.2+million); Camtastic p, 4, 1:49.3 ($2.1+); Goalie Jeff p, 3, 1:51.2 ($2+ million); Village Connection p, 5, 1:51 ($1.6+ million); Village Jiffy p, 5, 1:50 ($1.5+ million); Cambest p, 5, 1:46.1 ($1.4+ million), and Pacific Fella p, 5, 1:48.2 ($1+million).

In 1997 Cam Fella was taken on tour throughout North America. He appeared on Little Brown Jug Day at Deleware, Ohio before thousands of screaming fans, who watched in delight as the then 18-year-old paced around the half-mile oval in :57. Earlier that spring he had been gelded due to testicular cancer, and after his 1997 tour spent the rest of his days being admired by fans at the Kentucky Horse Park. He arrived there on December 5, 1997.

Cam Fella passed away on May 9, 2001 at age 22, from cancer. It was a true loss for the sport of harness racing and for all of the fans who admired and loved him from afar. 

Cam Fella's Career Statistics

Year     Starts   1st    2nd  3rd   Money Won     Age/Record    Track/Date of Record
1983      36          30      4      2      $1,144,056       4, 1:53.1M         M     06/23/1983 
1982      33          28      2      0      $879,723          3, T1:54.           M     10/08/1982 
1981      11           3       3      3      $17,588           2, 2:00.2F          GRR 12/26/1981  
Total     80          61      9      5      $2,041,367       4, 1:53.1M