The Stable That God Loves’ heavy hitters were in high gear this past weekend at Woodbine Racetrack, as they reeled off impressive stakes victories and lifted the ‘stable’s wins and seasonal purse earnings to lofty heights.
Reverend Hanover, from the Casie Coleman barn, notched the stable’s 100th victory in the $250,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for three-year-old colt pacers, and Don’t Rush, who is co-owned by trainer Dustin Jones of Waterdown and Greg Judson of Athens, Ont., pocketed the winner’s share of the $250,000 OSS Super Final three-year-old colt trot to push the stable’s purse earnings over the $4 million mark. Chris Christoforou, who pledged a portion of his 2015 Ontario Sires Stakes earnings to The Stable That God Loves, was in the bike for both victories. The four-time O’Brien Award-winning reinsman, who was sidelined from driving for over a month following a racing mishap in late July, also steered Betting Line to victory in the $250,000 Super Final for two-year-old colt pacers, thus celebrating a trio of Super Final scores.
Super Final hopefuls and stable members Elegant Serenity, Nvestment Bluechip and Silky Flashy NFast added to the stable’s earnings. Doug Millard’s crack three-year-old trotting filly, Elegant Serenity, was nipped at the wire and finished second; the Dave Menary-trained and co-owned Nvestment Bluechip chalked up a second-place score, and Silky Flashy Nfast finished third for co-owner and trainer Ben Baillargeon and Diane Ingham.
Meanwhile, at Pocono Downs, John Craig’s Luck Be Withyou cruised to his ninth seasonal victory – upping his seasonal bank account to $384,790, good for third spot on the stable’s earnings roster – and Ed James’ McWicked picked up second-place money in the $148,000 Allerage Farm Open Pace at the Red Mile on October 10. Nineteen U.S. and 11 Canadian racetracks have hosted members of The Stable That God Loves.
To date, the stable boasts 102 wins, 80 seconds, 76 thirds and a whopping $4,229,972 in purse earnings, with one (1) per cent of that amount earmarked to support the tireless work of the Standardbred Chaplaincy of Canada that survives on private donations and income from its annual Doug Hyatt golf tourney.
Madefromlucky, the lone Thoroughbred in the program, owned by Erin, Ont. horseman Mac Nichol and Everett Dobson, continues to top money earners with $851,700.
The stable’s top-five money winners appear below.
Madefromlucky - $851,700
Elegant Serenity - $419,165
Luck Be Withyou - $384,790
Dont Rush - $286,116
Nvestment Bluechip - $281,783
(The Stable That God Loves)