It has been announced that O’Brien Award winner Vegas Vacation, who hasn’t raced since late in 2013, will return to the racing wars in “God’s Stable” this year.
During his three-year-old campaign in 2013, the multiple stakes winner was a gem of consistency for his connections, which include trainer Casie Coleman and Adriano Sorella. From 30 career starts, Vegas Vacation has assembled a handsome record of 11-10-1 with earnings of $1,071,788 and a lifetime mark of 1:48.3.
An O’Brien Award recipient as Canada’s three-year-old pacing colt of the year in 2013, Vegas Vacation racked up victories in the Somebeachsomewhere, Empire Breeders Classic, and the Simcoe before his biggest prize of the season -- the 68th edition of the prestigious Little Brown Jug. He capped his season with a win in the Matron at Dover Downs.
Vegas Vacation took a year off to recover from an injury sustained in his three-year-old season, but, according to Sorella, “he is coming back strong and is staked very heavily for the 2015 season.”
Vegas Vacation is the 37th and the newest member of the ‘Stable That God Loves,’ a major fundraising initiative that has attracted the attention of mainstream media and has been embraced by a groundswell of support from horsepeople that have a collective sense of purpose to help their own.
As a member of the Stable That God Loves, one per cent of Vegas Vacation’s 2015 purse earnings will be donated to the Standardbred Racetrack Chaplaincy of Canada.
“I have seen the work which the program (Chaplaincy) is involved in, and I would definitely like to be part of the fundraising,” said Sorella.
The following is a current list of the horses and their owners (in brackets) in the Stable That God Loves.
SHAKE IT CERRY (John Fielding)
MANNY IN SPORTS (John Fielding)
PL HERCULES (Norm Clements)
ITS PAYDAY FRIDAY (Daniel Clements)
PL IDAHO (Norm Clements and Daniel Clements)
PL HELLCAT (Norm Clements and Daniel Clements)
ROCKIN WITH DEWEY (Harry Rutherford and Ben Baillargeon)
SILKY FLASHY N FAST (Harry Rutherford and Ben Baillargeon)
LUCK BE WITHYOU (John Craig)
MADEFROMLUCKY (Thoroughbred) (Mac Nichol)
ARMSTEAD PAIGE (Dr. Roly Armitage)
IN RHYTHM (Dustin Jones and Diamond Creek Farm)
DONT RUSH (Dustin Jones)
UTTER NONSENSE (Dustin Jones)
CHARLIE IS A JOKER (Tom Rankin)
FEELIN FREE (Ted Nadhazi)
MACHYNBIRD PRINCESS (Canamerica Capital Corp. and Hyatt Holdings, Inc) (first win for God’s Stable)
AINT SHE A SWEETIE (Canamerica Capital Corp. and Richard Papazian)
ADORE HIM (Canamerica Capital Corp. and Richard Papazian)
EINSTEINS BEST (Hyatt Holdings, Richard Papazian and Canamerica Capital Corp.)
LEXUS HAWKEYE (John Patterson)
THORS SEELSTER (John Patterson) (second winner for God’s Stable)
NAMES MUSCLE (John Patterson)
LITTLE MISS SPORTY (John Patterson)
JHIGH (Anna Glide)
STONEBRIDGE QUEST (Angie and Cal Stiller)
STONEBRIDGE BRULE (Angie and Cal Stiller)
STONEBRIDGE EPIC (Angie and Cal Stiller)
NASHVILLE (Don and Glenda Armitage)
VEGAS VACATION (Adriano Sorella)
(Horse to be named) (Rob and Wayne Giles)
(Horse to be named) (Luc Ouellette)
(Horse to be named) (Luc Ouellette)
(Horse to be named) (Doug Millard)
(Horse to be named) (Ben Wallace)
(Horse to be named) (George Millar, Millar Farms)
(With files from the Stable That God Loves)
Hat's off to all the people
Hat's off to all the people who are willing to donate a small piece of their earnings to support a wonderful organization as the CHAPLAINCY for the ongoing work they do. I am sure that it is greatly appreciated and that the money does not go to waste. In the world we live in today, there are a lot more people who have very little and need a helping hand. As to my understanding, this organization provides for the needy and it would be very encouraging to the chaplaincy to see more people who are well off give a hand. Have a good day.