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Daniel J. Vella

 

 
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Daniel J. "Dan" Vella (born November 18, 1955 in Toronto
Toronto

Toronto is the List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population in Canada and the Provinces and territories of Canada Provincial and territorial capitals of Canada of Ontario....
, Ontario
Ontario

Ontario is a Provinces and territories of Canada located in the Central Canada part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area....
) is a Canadian
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 Champion
Sovereign Award

The Sovereign Award is given annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada to the outstanding horses and people in Canada Thoroughbred racing....
 Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds best known for its use in Thoroughbred horse race. Although the word "thoroughbred" is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed....
 racehorse
Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrianism sport that has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot racing of Ancient Rome are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology....
 trainer
Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer is responsible for preparing a horse for races. As such, he or she takes responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter....
.

Dan Vella was introduced to Thoroughbred horse racing by an uncle who owned horses and, after graduating from High School, went to work at a racetrack in his native Toronto. After an apprenticehip he worked as an assistant trainer with Patrick Collins and got his first win in 1985. Following the untimely death of Patrick Collins in 1990, Vella took over as head trainer for the prominent Woodbine
Woodbine Racetrack

Woodbine Racetrack is a Canadian racetrack for Thoroughbred horse races located at 555 Rexdale Blvd. in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It is the only horseracing track in North America which stages, or is capable of staging, thoroughbred horse and standardbred horse horseracing programs on the same day....
-based Knob Hill Stable
Knob Hill Stable

Knob Hill Stable was a Canada Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding operation established by Toronto businessman, Steve Stavro.The stable bred and raced a number of champions such as Canadian Horse of the Year honourees, Benburb and Thornfield....
 where he remained until joining the racing operations of Frank Stronach
Frank Stronach

Frank H. Stronach, Order of Canada is an Austrian-Canada businessman. He is the founder of Magna International, an international automotive parts company based in Aurora, Ontario, Canada, and Magna Entertainment Corp., which specializes in horse-racing entertainment....
 in late 1991.

Biography
Training for Stronach Stables, between 1993 and 1998 Vella spent a good part of his time competing in the United States but won important races at Woodbine including Canada's most prestigious race in 1994, the Queen's Plate
Queen's Plate

The Queen's Plate is North America oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1? miles for 3-year-old thoroughbed horses foaled in Canada....
.






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Daniel J. "Dan" Vella (born November 18, 1955 in Toronto
Toronto

Toronto is the List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population in Canada and the Provinces and territories of Canada Provincial and territorial capitals of Canada of Ontario....
, Ontario
Ontario

Ontario is a Provinces and territories of Canada located in the Central Canada part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area....
) is a Canadian
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 Champion
Sovereign Award

The Sovereign Award is given annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada to the outstanding horses and people in Canada Thoroughbred racing....
 Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds best known for its use in Thoroughbred horse race. Although the word "thoroughbred" is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed....
 racehorse
Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrianism sport that has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot racing of Ancient Rome are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology....
 trainer
Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer is responsible for preparing a horse for races. As such, he or she takes responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter....
.

Dan Vella was introduced to Thoroughbred horse racing by an uncle who owned horses and, after graduating from High School, went to work at a racetrack in his native Toronto. After an apprenticehip he worked as an assistant trainer with Patrick Collins and got his first win in 1985. Following the untimely death of Patrick Collins in 1990, Vella took over as head trainer for the prominent Woodbine
Woodbine Racetrack

Woodbine Racetrack is a Canadian racetrack for Thoroughbred horse races located at 555 Rexdale Blvd. in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It is the only horseracing track in North America which stages, or is capable of staging, thoroughbred horse and standardbred horse horseracing programs on the same day....
-based Knob Hill Stable
Knob Hill Stable

Knob Hill Stable was a Canada Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding operation established by Toronto businessman, Steve Stavro.The stable bred and raced a number of champions such as Canadian Horse of the Year honourees, Benburb and Thornfield....
 where he remained until joining the racing operations of Frank Stronach
Frank Stronach

Frank H. Stronach, Order of Canada is an Austrian-Canada businessman. He is the founder of Magna International, an international automotive parts company based in Aurora, Ontario, Canada, and Magna Entertainment Corp., which specializes in horse-racing entertainment....
 in late 1991.

Biography


Training for Stronach Stables, between 1993 and 1998 Vella spent a good part of his time competing in the United States but won important races at Woodbine including Canada's most prestigious race in 1994, the Queen's Plate
Queen's Plate

The Queen's Plate is North America oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1? miles for 3-year-old thoroughbed horses foaled in Canada....
. That year, he was voted the Canadian Sovereign Award for Outstanding Trainer
Sovereign Award for Outstanding Trainer

The Sovereign Award for Outstanding Trainer is a Canada thoroughbred horse race honor given annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada. Part of the Sovereign Awards, the "Outstanding Trainer" laurel is similar to the Eclipse Award given to horse trainers in the United States....
 and repeated as Champion trainer in 1995. After parting ways with Stonach Stables he remained working in the United States then returned to a Toronto base in 2003.