Mohawk: Vegas Vacation takes Simcoe impressively

Vegas Vacation likely stamped himself as the favorite for the Little Brown Jug with an impressive 1:48 3/5 victory Saturday night in a $119,738 division of the Simcoe Stakes at Mohawk Raceway.

Driven by Brian Sears, Vegas Vacation left alertly but was put in a two-hole by Battle of the Brandywine winner Sunshine Beach. Sunshine Beach cut the mile posting fractions of :26 4/5, :55 and 1:22 2/5. In early stretch, Sears pulled the pocket and the altered son of Bettors Delight exploded with a :26 final quarter stopping the clock in 1:48 3/5, a Simcoe stakes record.

Vegas Vacation, trained by Casie Coleman, was a hard-luck fourth in the Cane Pace on Labor Day, getting boxed in behind race-winner Captaintreacherous. He rebounded with a big effort on Saturday, beating Jug-eligibles Sunshine Beach, Sunfire Blue Chip and Urbanite Hanover in the process.

The winner returned $2.80 as the prohibitive favorite.

Coleman confirmed following the race that both Vegas Vacation and Lucan Hanover will be sent to Delaware, Ohio for the Little Brown Jug on September 19.

“People say he can’t leave but he left in :26 seconds from the 10-hole in the Metro as a two-year-old,” said Coleman about Vegas Vacation.

In the Simcoe it was a :26 final quarter that did the trick.