GOSHEN — The sharp green oval-shaped sign stands out off Mount Joy Road. On top of the sign reads “Celebrity Farms,″ beneath it “Racing Stable″ and below that the words “Better, Stronger, Faster.″
It is here where Sam Stathis runs his side business, a business that has steered him toward the hottest harness race in the world, the Hambletonian, on Saturday afternoon at the Meadowlands. Gorgeous brickwork bookends the sign, and the entrance features swinging green gates. The lovely homemade waterfall to the right just inside the gates adds another heavenly touch to the grounds.
What more could a man request? Stathis, already a successful businessman making a dent owning racehorses, was on his way to the Hambo with a horse named Celebrity Secret.
But he was far more concerned about another race. His best friend’s son, a 14-year-old from New York City named Chris Vasiliou, had contracted a rare disease called vasculitis. Just eight days ago, five weeks after being diagnosed, Vasiliou died.
Stathis was handed the microphone at the Hambletonian news conference five days after Vasiliou’s death. Stathis talked about the tragedy, and when he finished and got to his table, Stathis broke down in tears. He’s helped put together the Chris Vasilou Memorial Foundation to raise awareness and find a cure for vasculitis, a disease that manifests itself by inflammation of blood vessels and usually hits middle-aged adults.
“Chris was a young, strong, vibrant, innocent and loving child,″ Stathis said. “His untimely death will not be in vain if just one child’s life can be saved by our efforts.″
Stathis thinks Celebrity Secret can help provide funds for the foundation. He’s been second to Hambo favorite Deweycheatumnhowe four of the five times they’ve faced each other. Celebrity Secret has won 4-of-8 races this year and is 15-1 out of the potentially hazardous nine hole.
But Stathis likes his colt’s chances. Celebrity Secret was beaten by a nose by Atomic Hall in the final Hambo elimination last week. Stathis intimated the horse wasn’t 100 percent. “Secret has another gear,″ Stathis said. “We haven’t seen it yet, but you will (in the Hambo).″
The hulking bay occupies Stall 17 on the 125-acre farm less than a half-mile from Dewey’s home. Celebrity Secret is Mr. Mellow, standing virtually still for most of my recent visit. The trainer is Swedish native Staffan Lind, who bought his first racehorse at 18 with college buddies from the winnings of a Pick 6 ticket. All these years later, he fell in love with a horse at the Lexington yearling sales.
“Very nice confirmation,″ Lind said of Celebrity Secret. “He had tremendous gait and I knew right then, he was the one.″
Celebrity Farms had a bittersweet buzz this week. It also qualified Celebrity Tribute for the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks to be contested a race before Secret gives Stathis his first Hambo horse. Stathis will be watching with watery eyes.
