Vinnie Viola of St. Elias Secure spent June 6 at Saratoga Race Course celebrating two grade 1 victories as co-owner of each Manhattan Stakes (G1T) winner Deterministic and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Golden Tempo . However he devoted his success to somebody he had misplaced—lifelong good friend Dominic DiPrisco, who died simply days earlier from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called Lou Gehrig’s illness.
All through the day, his ideas returned to his late good friend.
“We grew up on the identical block since we had been 4 years previous and went via faculty, spent our entire lives, and shared our household lives collectively,” Viola stated through the Belmont Stakes press convention. “I stated my prayers this morning, I requested Dominic to assist with the horse, through which I knew he would, and he might be deeply, deeply missed.”
Golden Tempo’s expertise, mixed with driving from Jose Ortiz and coaching from Cherie DeVaux, additional propelled the connections to success Saturday within the Belmont, simply as they’d within the Kentucky Derby (G1) 5 weeks earlier at Churchill Downs. As soon as once more, Viola, his spouse Teresa, and co-owners Ogden Phipps II and Daisy Phipps-Pulito of Phipps Secure had been hoisting a winner’s trophy amid cheers from the general public.
“It is simply as massive because the Stanley Cup,” one observer shouted to Viola as he raised the August Belmont Trophy.
Not fairly.
Viola would know, having twice held that iconic trophy as proprietor of the Florida Panthers, back-to-back Stanley Cup champions in 2024-25.
Later, whereas strolling hand in hand with Teresa to the Belmont Stakes press convention space, followers—presumably hockey fanatics—stopped to congratulate the billionaire proprietor and shake his hand.
Reflecting on his first Belmont Stakes victory and the help he acquired from these within the Saratoga crowd, Viola stated, “It is so heartwarming, as a result of within the first place, Teresa and I are followers. We began as followers, so to have the ability to share our happiness and see it mirrored of their faces … after they congratulate us, we really feel like we need to congratulate them simply as a lot, if no more, for rooting for us.”
Viola is equally appreciative of his companions at Phipps Secure, who captured their second Belmont victory after Straightforward Goer’s triumph in 1989, in addition to the advisers who assist information the St. Elias operation. He views the secure’s accomplishments as a collaborative effort.
Ortiz wore the inexperienced and white silks of St. Elias Secure Saturday after donning the black and pink colours of Phipps Secure within the Derby. He’s a homebred for the 2 companions.
“So we attempt to at all times do not forget that we have been very blessed with success, and we have been at all times fortunate to be round actually top-notch folks, actually the very best of the very best in our organizations … folks like Cherie, like Monique Delk, who runs the entire secure, and John Sparkman, who runs all of our matings,” he stated. “You do not neglect that it is actually a group.”
A separate possession group struck with St. Elias about an hour earlier than the Belmont with Deterministic, who scored a repeat victory within the $1 million Manhattan Stakes for coach Miguel Clement and possession companions Vicarage Secure, Ken Langone, and Steven Duncker. The 5-year-old is within the midst of a five-race graded stakes profitable streak.
However it’s the two victories Golden Tempo has strung collectively this spring—first within the Derby after which within the Belmont—which have thrust the Violas most prominently into the highlight. Their late-running Curlin colt, who sat out the Might 16 Preakness Stakes (G1), is now the undisputed chief of the 3-year-old division.
“It has been an awesome day, however I give it all of the credit score to Cherie and to Jose, as a result of they actually did determine all of it out proper. It is only a excellent ending,” Teresa Viola stated.