The connections of Il Villaggio have announced that their multiple stakes winning son of Yankee Glide will not

be racing in 2010.

Via release this afternoon, Myron Bell, a managing partner of the connections, announced that the O'Brien Award winner suffered a season-ending injury this past week,

Harness racing icon Stan Bergstein had ranked Il Villaggio at the top of the United States Trotting Association's 2010 Experimental Ratings for three-year-old trotters.

Bergstein had predicted that Il Villaggio would trot a mile in 1:51 this year for trainer Erv Miller. In 2009, Il Villaggio won the Bluegrass Stakes in Kentucky, the William Wellwood and the Champlain in Ontario, and New Jersey Sires Stakes in New Jersey. He earned $464,521 and boasts a two-year-old record of 1:55.4.

"I am saddened to announce that our three-year-old trotting colt Il Villaggio, rated No. 1 this past spring in the USTA’s experimentals, suffered a season-ending leg injury this past Thursday while out in his paddock," Bell wrote. "We will continue to evaluate him as the summer progresses to determine what his future holds."

Il Villaggio was bred by Diane Ingham and Harry Rutherford of Mount Pleasant Ontario, Canada and purchased for $100,000.00 at the Lexington Select Yearling Sale in 2008 by a group consisting of Brittany Farms, Blue Chip Bloodstock and IL Villaggio Partners (consisting of Mel Hartman, John Fodera and Riverview Farms (Myron and Stephanie Bell).

Bell wrote that at this time he would like to thank all of the colt's connections for his short but spectacular year in 2009.

"There are many trainers, caretakers and drivers who were responsible for his success on the track last year—too many to mention," Bell said. "But I would like to specifically thank Erv Miller, Tony Alagna, Trevor Ritchie, Robin Cruise and Tim Tetrick for their hard work and dedication in making Il Villaggio one of the best young trotters around."