Click the image to listen to Tom Janes interview on the Meadowlands Racing Insider

The Harness Edge article on VIP Internet Stable (Sept 2009 issue)

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On the road with VIP

VIP's Tom Janes blogs from the Kentucky Yearling Sale

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Sunday Oct 11th -  It was nice to end the weekend by getting a full brother to Captain Cambest on Sunday (video clip here)......The number of Kentucky sired horses is very limited, so he'll have a shot at racing for some good money in the years to come.  Hopefully we'll see him right back here in Lexington for a few starts at The Red Mile...............

 Overall, this has been an incredible few days for the stable.  The quality of the yearlings that we purchased this week will be hard to match.  If you've ever thought about buying one, this is certainly the year to consider doing so....

 You should also think about making a trip out to this sale one year.  Lexington is a very nice town with a lot of activities.......How about going to the Red Mile during the day, a nice restaurant for dinner and then over to the Lexington Select Sale at night.  How's that for day.......There's also plenty of places to shop and eat (as downtown Lexington is very nice).  You might even want to go over to Keeneland one afternoon to watch those other horses (you know, the ones they sit on) race.........

 Well, time to head on back home.........

Saturday Oct 10th - Aaron and Dave won't let me leave until we take a piece of Delightful Life...#493..........I keep getting messages concerning JJ Thomas N, Armbro Cayenne and Fox Valley Tribal winning.....big night for the stable......3 winners....Aaron said you'll have 4 winners when you buy in on this colt.....maybe there's a little kharma going on here with this colt....Okay, we'll take a piece.....Now let's go have a beer.....

 

Friday Oct 9th - We took it very easy today to rest up from a long day Thursday.  At the sale I took a video tour so all the VIP'ers can get a sense of what it's like - take a look.  With our purchase of JOACHIM tonight, it was nice to bring the River Shark connections together in getting a super looking colt.  Aaron Waxman came down from Canada with this one horse in mind and we got him....Dave Sabatelli  was thrilled that we got him......Three days and 3 great looking yearlings.........What a sale..........

 

Thursday Oct 8th - A long drive today, but worth it!  This is a great sale every year and have enjoyed coming back each year since we were here to see Captain Cambest finish a good 4th in the Tattersalls at The red Mile a few years ago.  I got a look at MANGUS DEO and just loved him!  I was in the arena when we bought SILENT PARTNER (video), and he is also a striking horse!  Trainer Josh Green is absolutely thrilled to have them both.  Boy was I tired after driving all day and walking around the sale all night...

 

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Field Set For Confederation Cup

River Shark made his connections proud as he earned back his supplemental fee for the Confederation Cup with his victory in the second $50,000 elimination heat on Sunday afternoon at Flamboro Downs.

River Shark left sharply from Post 4 with Luc Ouellette in the bike, and settled on top at the :25.4 first-quarter pole with Passmaster Hanover (Jody Jamieson) tucking into the two-hole. After reaching the half in :55.3, River Shark faced a challenge from the pocket-sitter and those two battled past three-quarters in 1:22.2. In the stretch, River Shark forged ahead and tripped the timer in 1:52.3.

Passmaster Hanover finished a length back in second and Stonebridge Master (Doug McNair) was third. Lyons Horace (Randy Waples) and Chief Of The Beach (Sylvain Filion) finished fourth and fifth.

“He handled the turns good. He’s a good front-runner,” said Ouellette, who also noted that, “The horse who finished second worked just as hard as my horse.”

Tracy Brainard trains the Four Starzzz Shark-Riverview Diamond gelding for owners El Lobo LLC of Merrick, New York, Aaron Waxman of Brantford, Ont., and Vip Internet Stable LLC of Piscataway, New Jersey. The win was River Shark's sixth of the year in 18 starts and eighth lifetime lifting his earnings to $176,629.

“I’m happy to win. It was a tough elim, but that will tighten him up for the final anyway,” commented Waxman.

“He was an over-achiever early in the year and he took a couple steps back the last couple of months, but he’s rounding back into form and I think he’ll be an over-achiever the rest of the year.

"I’d love to win the Confederation Cup,” added Waxman. "It would be as good as winning the Jug or the Stanley Cup or the Hambo."

The top four finishers from each elim, plus one fifth-place finisher drawn by lot, will return later in the day to contest the $560,000 final. During the post draw, Fast Pay was the fifth-place finisher selected to compete in the final.

Here is a look at the field for the $560,000 Confederation Cup in post position order:

1. If I Can Dream
2. Stonebridge Master
3. Bay Of Sharks
4. Fast Pay
5. River Shark
6. Nob Hill High - driver change to Mark MacDonald
7. Passmaster Hanover
8. Shipps Xpectancy
9. Lyons Horace

If I Can Dream Wins Confederaton Cup XXIII

If I Can Dream pulled off a dreamy victory in the 33rd edition of the $560,000 Confederation Cup for three-year-old pacers at Flamboro Downs on Sunday afternoon.

With luck on his side, If I Can Dream drew the rail heading into the final after finishing second to Bay Of Sharks in the first of two elimination heats held earlier in the day. While elim winner, River Shark (Luc Ouellette), fired off the gate from Post 5 in the rich final, Jim Morrill, Jr. sent If I Can Dream to the lead from third before the :26.4 first quarter. From there, the Western Hanover-Arterra colt carved out middle splits of :56 and 1:24 and turned back a challenge from Lyons Horace (Randy Waples) en route to victory 1:52.1 by two and a quarter lengths.

River Shark finished second and Bay Of Sharks (Mario Baillargeon) rolled three-wide at three-quarters to come on for third.

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Pinehurst 2009

 

 Ed O'Connor goes to the matinee races at the Historic Pinehurst Racetrack to see SO BE IT and JOE THE PLUMBER baby race and brings the video camera 

 

 

 

 

 

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VIP Stable and the Kiwi connection

Harnesslink News Room 12:41 PM 08-Jan-2009 NZT

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It all started with four-win Pukekohe pacer Mr Chin in April 2007. Now one of the world's largest ownership stables is keen to have more New Zealand horses in its New Jersey VIP Stable. VIP Stable is based in Piscataway New Jersey. It has more than 50 standardbreds (including a handful from New Zealand) and a dozen of North America's best trainers working under its huge umbrella.

"We'll take a horse from the moon if he's good enough but since we started taking in New Zealand horses a couple of years ago we have become more interested in them. They are a tough breed and we love the fact that they are lightly raced," Tom Janes said.

Janes is co-manager of VIP Stable with founder Ed O'Connor. Mark Kesmodel, George Teague, John Butenschoen, Karen Williams, Julie Miller, Greg Trotto, Tom Fanning, Josh Green, Joe DeCarlo, Brian Allen, and Steve Walters are just some of the trainers who work for VIP.

"We have been putting harness racing fans in the winner's circle for 10 years now. In that time we have 2645 winners and won just over $4m in stakes. One of our better Kiwi imports has been Line Of Fire, who won at the Meadowlands in 1:51 last Saturday," Janes said.

Line Of Fire, a 5-year-old son of In The Pocket, had one win in New Zealand for Cran Dalgety before being exported to VIP Stable on September 26 2007. Like Mr Chin, Line Of Fire's sale was initiated by Auckland standardbred agent, Brian Meale.

"Line Of Fire and a couple of our other Kiwi horses Nicky Hanover and JJ Thomas N got sick last year and were out of action for a couple of months with a viral infection. He won real well for Mark Kesmodel and George Brennan last Saturday. I think he can go well again this week," Janes said.

Line of Fire will line up in a $20,000 elimination race at the Meadowlands on Friday and if he qualifies for the $110,000 final he will be back at the same venue again on January 24.  To date Line Of Fire has had won eight of his 35 starts and $82,440.  "He's on a par or just slightly inferior to our best horses - Fox Valley Tribal and Kings Road who have won $779,707 and $147,733 respectively," Janes said.

Mr Chin, who is now named Mr Chin N in the United States, won $243,749 before being claimed away from the VIP Stable. Other Kiwis Nicky Hanover and JJ Thomas N have won $82,068 and $21,775 respectively.

"We love the New Zealand breed. However when they get here it usually takes them five to six weeks to get acclimated. From what we have seen so far they are tough and come to us with not many races under their belts," Janes said.

VIP Stable has made a flying start to 2009 with six winners already. They will be looking to emulate their feat of 2007 when they recorded their best year with 145 winners netting just over $1.5m in stakes.

Duane RANGER (editor)

 

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For Immediate Release - 10/6/08

VIP Stable reaches Win milestone

 VIP Internet Stable, LLC collects win number 400 at Harrah’s Chester Downs.   

VIP Stable’s Founder and Managing Partner, Ed O’Connor, was excited about today’s victory by Armbro Acquire, saying “400 is a lot of wins!  When I started VIP with just a part of one horse and a few partners, I would never have dreamed that we could reach this level of success.  I give credit to our trainers for all their hard work, and to our partners for their ongoing confidence in me and my partner Tom.”

Tom Janes, who joined Ed in managing VIP in 2005, was on the road back from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale when the milestone victory happened.  Tom was equally thrilled, commenting “400 is certainly an exciting milestone. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us, especially in light of some of the recent additions to our stable”.

Since its founding in 1999, VIP Stable has been one of the most successful and respected racing syndicates in the United States.  VIP has been the leading racing Syndicate in the U.S. over the past several years, holding the U.S. record for wins and purses earned by a Public Racing Syndicate set in 2007.          

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 Fox Valley Tribal seeks Super Night score
Friday, September 19, 2008 - by David Mattia, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Plainfield, NJ --- Saturday night, September 20, is Illinois Super Night at Balmoral Park, and one of the lucrative races being offered will be the $125,000 Tony Maurello Stake for older pacing horses. Fox Valley Tribal, who won his Maurello elimination last week in 1:52.3, will be looking to score again for his trainer Karen Williams.

“Andy (Miller) gave him the most patient, perfect drive in the elimination and I couldn’t have asked for anything more than that,” said the New Jersey based Williams. “I was kind of holding my breath but it worked out great.

“He’s a very nice horse. He looks like a warhorse even though he’s only five years old. He’s rugged and bony with a big head. He’s not the most beautiful horse in the world but he’s great to work around. He loves people and he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He’s just a very good horse.

Balmoral Park photo

Fox Valley Tribal was a 1:52.3 winner for Andy Miller in his Tony Maurello elimination.

Fox Valley Tribal is certainly one of the most accomplished horses in this year’s Maurello. Going into Saturday night’s race the 5-year-old gelded son of Sportsmaster-Yankee Blue has earned $719,147. He’s still holding steady with the 1:49 lifetime mark he took at three, but now that this Illinois bred speedster is back on his home turf, that mark might be broken. He certainly has enough swift competition to ensure a brisk pace, and with Andy Miller aboard, Karen Williams is fairly confident in her horse. 

“I guess I was a little over-confident because I booked my flight to Illinois before he won his elimination,” said Williams moments after landing in Chicago.

“Having Andy Miller here to drive makes it really convenient, and I have a really great guy at home who’s done a great job with my horses. Chris Choate is manning the ten horses I have at home in New Jersey. We’ll be racing at Freehold Friday, Yonkers Saturday and Chester Sunday, and Chris has to handle that end of it while I’m out here.”

Fox Valley Tribal began his long trek to stardom back when he was a 2-year-old. Trained at the time by Robert Sanders, he won his fourth lifetime start in 1:52 at Springfield and then went on to win the $300,000 Orange and Blue at Balmoral Park in 1:51.2 with Tim Tetrick at the controls. He finished his freshman season with $154,540.

As a 3-year-old, Fox Valley Tribal raced exclusively in Illinois and Canada. He raked in $342,380 in 2006 and a big chunk of that came from his third place finish in the $1,350,000 North America Cup at Woodbine.

After leaving the Robert Sanders barn, Fox Valley Tribal weaved his way through several different trainers before landing in the capable hands of Karen Williams.

“In the past the horse had been with some high profile trainers,” said Williams. “(Previous owner) Randy Zane was going to give him to another high profile trainer in New Jersey so I asked him to give me a shot because there are a lot of people looking for good horses and I can move good horses in New Jersey.

“I own SBK Stables and I’m partnered with VIP Stable on a few horses. Some people said it was too much money -- six figures -- but I got a call from VIP and they said they’d be interested in taking a piece so now I own the horse with them.”

In his first start for Williams, a conditioned race at The Meadowlands on July 5, 2008, Fox Valley Tribal was quick to strut his stuff. He won handily for David Miller in 1:50 and a few weeks later he scored in a big way at Yonkers Raceway. Pretty much parked the mile in a $25,000 overnight event, the long-striding gelding loomed bravely on the outside through three-quarters in 1:23.4 for driver Jim Meittinis. Through the stretch he drew away by 4-1/4 lengths in 1:52.2.

“I know the horse can get around a half-mile, but I never expected that,” Williams said. “It was a vicious mile for any horse and he was very, very good.”

His performance at Yonkers was indeed a powerful one and it impressed the powers at VIP Internet Stable enough to suggest trying their big horse in the Tony Maurello.

“The Maurello is my second big race,” said Williams. “I was invited to the Dan Patch (in 2007 at Hoosier Park) to race a horse I have named Y Knot, but I don’t get the opportunity too often to race for a purse like this.”

Karen Williams is a native of New Jersey where she grew up within earshot of The Meadowlands Racetrack. Currently she is training 15 horses at Magical Acres in New Jersey. Her trainer stats show her with career earnings of $1,525,981 with 82 career victories.

“I set a goal for myself to make a million this year,” Williams said. “Right now I’m a little over $500,000 ($545,247) but I have high-priced horses that fit in high conditions and sometimes you ride that condition scale up and down. Also I have a few horses that are on the shelf, but I have that million-dollar goal for this year.

“My parents bought me my first riding horse when I was seven or eight years old, and when I was 11 my dad bought his first Standarbred -- a horse named Sunny May. Artie Unger was our trainer and every summer my dad took me to Freehold to be with the horses. The first horse I ever trained was with Rheo Filion, and through my mom and dad and their love for racehorses and their love for the game I’m in this business.

With a little luck and a resilient horse like Fox Valley Tribal by her side, Karen Williams might get that million-dollar season. A victory at Balmoral on Saturday night will certainly help to move things along for this bright, talented and very engaging young horsewoman.

(courtesy www.ystrotting.com)

NO BOOST NEEDED FOR CAYENNE TURBO IN HIRAM WOODRUFF
Cayenne Turbo coasted wire-to-wire to win the $18,000 second leg of the Hiram Woodruff Wednesday night at the Meadowlands.

With Andy Miller in the bike, Cayenne Turbo held off Macho Lindy to win the night’s seventh race in 1:52.1.  Snazzy Hot Rod made a late rally down the stretch to finish third.  Cayenne Turbo paid $13.80.

Cayenne Turbo has won three out of nine starts for 2008.  Trained by Julie Miller, Cayenne Turbo has increased his earnings to more than $130,000. Eugene W. Schick of Elgin, Illinois, Larry Baron of Horsham, Pennsylvania, and VIP Internet Stable LLC of Piscataway, New Jersey own the 4-year-old bay stallion.

The Hiram Woodruff concludes with a $45,000 final on May 17.

Quick Arrow N Refuses to Lose Final

Saturday, October 06, 2007 - by Kyle Fitzgerald, for Colonial Downs

October 6, 2007

VIP Internet Stable’s Quick Arrow N continued his stellar 4-year-year-old season with a gritty head victory in the $15,900 Virginia is for Horse Lovers late closing series final Saturday night at Colonial Downs.

Quick Arrow N ran his win streak to three and posted his sixth win from just nine starts this season by out gaming Kelly’s Spur at the end of a mile in 1:51.   

Quick Arrow N was fairly quick off the gate but was out sprinted for the early lead by Broule Hanover and Notorious Bigslick.  Broule Hanover got the opening quarter in a brisk 26.4, but driver Jonathan Roberts was intent upon the lead, sending Quick Arrow N to the front right before the field hit Colonial’s lone turn, passing Broule Hanover and Notorious Bigslick en route to a half in 54.2.

Despite winning the early battle, Quick Arrow N got no breathers on the turn as Kelly’s Spur moved first-over to challenge his supremacy at the three-eighths pole.  Kelly’s Spur got a nose in front and emerged at the top of the lane with a narrow advantage after three-quarters in 1:22.1.

Kelly’s Spur had another gear for the 1300-foot stretch drive but Quick Arrow N refused to give up while racing on the inside, scratching out a quarter-length advantage at the eighth pole.  Kelly’s Spur slowly cut into the margin with every stride but Quick Arrow N simply would not let him by, holding off his stubborn foe by a head in the end.

Winterwood Jet closed well to get third, 3¾ lengths behind the winner.

Quick Arrow N has now won five of seven starts since joining Greg Trotto’s barn after beginning his career in New Zealand.  The 4-year-old gelding demolished the lifetime mark of 1:52.3 he set two weeks ago in the second leg of the Virginia is for Horse Lovers.  
 

I Believe Its True stays hot at Maywood
Saturday, March 31, 2007 - by Mike Paradise, publicity director, Maywood Park

MAYWOOD, IL — I Believe Its True had little trouble staying the hottest horse at the Maywood Park meeting. The four-year-old state bred rambled to his fourth consecutive victory in Friday night's $11,500 feature race by four open lengths with Dave Magee in the bike.

The 1:53.3 winning mile as the third consecutive new lifetime mark for the four-year-old son of Cole Muffler for owners Larry Baron Horsham (PA) and VIP Internet Stable (Piscataway (NJ) who took I Believe Its True out of a $25,000 claiming race at The Meadowlands on January 13.

Unlike last Friday's first-over victory, this time drive Dave Magee sent I Believe Its True out in a hurry from the two-slot and into a quick lead the bay gelding never relinquished.

"It was either hustled him out and cut the fractions or take the pocket and try to get to get around Deville again, who can horse can be tough at times," said Magee." I thought it would be in our best interest to try and be ahead of him tonight.  My horse was good the whole mile. When I asked him for a little more he responded. John (trainer Butenschoen) has this horse really sharp right now."

The 4-5 favorite I Believe Its True ($3.60) needed a :27.2 first quarter to maintain the lead and have the speedball Deville drop into the pocket.  Magee was able to have his pacer get away with soft middle quarters of :28.3 and :29 flat before I Believe Its True starting to pull away soon after  the 1:25 three-quarter pole. The winner came home in :28.3 without much urging, four lengths ahead of the 7-2 second choice Caps Classic, who came from eighth and last at the half.  Deville held on for third, another three-quarter of a length behind.

With the Illinois bred allowance, I Believe Its True earned $6,640 in the race for $27,500 to $32,500 claimers and now has banked $23,681 on the current season.

http://www.maywoodpark.com/press/index.cfm?Press_ID=1199

Good news, bad news for Battle of Lake Erie field
Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - by Keith Gisser, assistant publicity director, Northfield Park
 

Northfield, OH --- Northfield Park's Director of Racing Gregg Keidel received some good news and some bad news this week in his quest to assemble the best possible field for the 22nd annual $125,000 Battle of Lake Erie, the track's premier race.

Click the image to listen to Ed O'Connor's interview on the Meadowlands Racing Insider

Driving Into History

By:  Shelly Blake, courtesy of www.Saratogagamingandraceway.com            

October 12th started out as just another night at work for Dan Cappello, Jr.  By the time his night was over, Saratoga Gaming and Raceway’s leading driver had accomplished what no other driver in the history of the Spa Oval has been able to do.

                He won six races.

                While an amazing feat, that is not what sets Cappello, Jr. apart from all other drivers. The track record for most wins by a driver in a single night stands at seven—a record shared by Bill O’Donnell and Tony Morgan. All Dan Cappello, Jr. did was win six races. But this was the third time in a single season he visited the Winner’s Circle that many times in one night.

                A new track record.

                And yet it seems to be just one more accomplishment in the career of Dan Cappello, Jr.

                 Being the son of a very successful horseman, Danny, as the 47-year-old is often called, grew up in the business of horse racing. “I was a janitor for about 20 minutes. That’s all it took (to realize he didn’t want to do anything else but work with horses).” The New Jersey native followed his father, Daniel Cappello, Sr., from New Jersey to Monticello to Saratoga, learning the tricks of the trade from both his father and a man who worked for the senior Cappello, Richard King. It wasn’t long before the apprentice came into his own…and then some.

                Danny has been Saratoga’s driving champion eight times. This year marks the 14th  time he has driven over a hundred winners in a season.  The Saratoga Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association has awarded Cappello, Jr. with Horseman of the Year three times since bestowing upon him the Johnny Page Award for “Up-and-Coming Driver” in 1983. He has bankrolled over ten million in his impressive career and recently won “Driver of the Year” honors for the 2006 Saratoga season.

                Of course if you ask Danny, he has nothing to do with his own success. “There’s a bunch of guys here that could be leading driver. It’s just a matter of getting good horses to drive and having some luck. That’s all. That’s what I always thought.”

                Although there are some that tend to disagree. Just ask Bill and Peggy Hohenstein, co-owners with the rest of the V.I.P Stable of  trotter Nystateofmind. According to the Hohensteins, their four-year-old gelding had a real problem staying trotting. Since he has been in Cappello Jr.’s care, he has never gone off stride. The reason? “He’s the best,” claims Peggy, “Danny is just the best.”

                What Danny considers “the best” are the horses, such as the ones he catch-drives ( “Swift Sport I like a lot. I really like driving him. He tries all the time”), the ones he trains and drives currently, ( “Arts Regards…he’s a nice horse”), as well as in the past, (“Mr. Bruiser…he was a nice horse. I took him down to the Meadowlands, we went in 1:53—and that was when 1:53 was fast”), and even horses he has no connection to, such as Open Pacer Our First Falcon and Hall of Famer Brett Hanover—a horse Danny always “thought the world of” when he was younger.

                When he was younger, Danny also had a different perspective of what it’s like to be out on the track behind a horse. “When my father was driving and I’d be watching him… well, it’s a lot easier to drive from the grandstand. I’d be yelling at him after the race, why did you do this or that?” However, since the younger Cappello has logged some miles of his own in the bike, his perspective has changed quite a bit.  “It’s not that easy out there. You have to make decisions quick and a lot of the time, they’re wrong. A lot of times the horse overcomes the bad decision you make, if you’re driving a good horse you can make a couple mistakes and the horse will still overcome that.”

                Yet it wasn’t a good horse that won six races in a single night three times this season.

                Perhaps it’s modesty, but it’s clear when talking to Cappello, Jr. that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. “I use to, but now I just try to have fun.”  And he does, which is apparent in his sense of humor as his responses to the best and worst thing about racing harness horses being, “the summer and winter.” Yes, it can get very cold out there. And what a lot of people don’t realize is how physically demanding it all can be, not just on the horses, but for everyone involved. “It’s a seven day a week job. You get banged up sometimes, sure. Work long hours.” But Danny is not complaining, even when the job gets a little too dangerous.

                On July 3rd, Kiss Me Cam, a horse then trained and driven by Cappello, Jr. fell within moments of the start of the race. Danny hit the unyielding track hard—hard enough to sprain his ankle quite severely. The horse, thankfully, was fine. Danny was not. However, nine days later, he was back in action with two wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in seven attempts. 

                This article was going to be titled, “Mr. Saturday Night,” but the truth is Dan Cappello, Jr. doesn’t have just one night where he reigns supreme. He can be found in the Winner’s Circle on both trotters and pacers, with cheap claimers and Invitational horses, during matinees and night cards. Although he’s never driven a winner in the NY Sire Stakes Night of Champions, something he’d very much like to achieve one day, he has done something which no other driver among the very talented drivers through Saratoga’s history has been able to do. Three six-baggers in a single season is not just historic. It speaks volumes about the man behind these good horses.

October 31, 2006

George Teague trained yearling added to VIP's "GRAND SLAM" Yearling Partnership

George Teague has been a little hard to get in touch with lately - he's been busy racing in The Breeders Crown, winning the Cane Pace, and just generally lighting up every stakes race on the east coast...but we can finally announce the verbal deal we struck with George several weeks ago to purchase an interest in our 3rd yearling for our GRAND SLAM yearling partnership. We will be adding 1 more yearling with George at next week's Harrisburg sale.

We are thrilled to be adding JUST DESSERTS, a yearling pacing filly by red hot NJ sire ARTISCAPE - also the sire of George's Yorse Of The Year, Rainbow Blue. Our new filly is out of the Jate Lobell mare, ROMANTIC GESTURE, who has already produced 5 winners from 6 foals (4 in 1:55) including stakes winners FLITABOUT (1:52f), BULL ON THE BEACH (1:54.1), and WINE ROSES N CANDI (1:54).

Her family gets even more impressive with the 2nd dam, multiple stakes winner TOWN TATTLER (1:54.3) - winner of Helen Dancer, Juggette heat, Bluegrass elim, Mistletoe Shalee elim, and 3 legs of Blossom series at M. She has been a world class broodmare, having produced LIFE IS A CABARET ($774,222 1:50.2), TATTLER'S TORPEDO ($400,737 1:53.4), BLACK TATTLER ($173,101 1:50), and SCOOTIN TATTLER ($119,166 1:51.4), and 2 others in 1:55 and another 4 more with wins in 2:00 or better.

The pedigree for JUST DESSERTS is online at http://www.vipstable.com/files/programs/Teague/417-Artiscape-filly-20K.pdf

George Teague is as hot as you can get right now, having selected and trained such notables as 2004 Horse of the Year Rainbow Blue, 2005 Woodrow Wilson winner Western Ace, and 2006 North America Cup winner Total Truth in addition to a slew of 2yo stakes winners already this year. Interestingly, quotes from both George and VIP's Ed O'Connor were part of the same article in the June 28 issue of Horsemen and Fair World magazine (see below link). It must be fate that we'll be working together! (http://www.vipstable.com/files/Pictures/VIP-HWFmag.jpg)


Our first 2 yearlings with trainer Tom Fanning (pacing colts THE RACE IS ON and LEXUS HANOVER), are already broken, jogging, and doing very well. More information on them is available at http://www.vipstable.com/grand-slam.html

 

September 11, 2006

Our "Grand Slam" Yearling partnership has been received well so far and we do have spots left.  That's good news for those of you not involved yet, because we bought 2 very exciting colts yesterday at the NJ Classic sale. 

Trainer Tom Fanning got the first horse in the sale - LEXUS HANOVER, a colt by champion sire Cam's CardShark out of the multiple stakes winning mare, Lady Dynamo (1:54.4 $201,480).  This is a great looking individual with the classic Cam Fella line looks - athletic and perfectly proportioned.  The dam side family is great with 3 winners of over $100,000 and 7 with winning marks of 1:57 or better.  We were very excited to get our Grand Slam started off with such a promising NJ bred colt.

We also took home the Pro Bono Best colt THE RACE IS ON late in the day.  Tom Fanning was the high bidder on this very good looking NY sired colt out of the multiple Open class winner, Incredible Talent (1:54.3 $70,227).  Pro Bono Best's first crop are just 2 this year, and they have been very impressive - several will be in the NYSS Championships this weekend at Stga.  We were very impressed with this colt's confirmation – long and stout with a look that reminded me of our $500K earner Bayside Hall.  With the NY stakes program HUGE already and Yonkers about to get started, this guy will be racing for serious money.

I also spoke at length to George Teague about our next 2 purchases – he'll be looking at the KY sales as well as at Harrisburg .

There is no feeling in harness racing like standing in the winner's circle with a horse you've been following since he was a baby!  Please contact either Tom or me to get your spot in this partnership!

August 28, 2006

VIP Stable goes over $300,000 in purses for 2006 - a new high for the stable with 4 months to go.  With our 2 year olds just getting started in the next few weeks, and Yonkers and Chester opening in the next month, we're looking to run up the score in 2006.

May 21, 2006

VIP Stable sends starter number 1,000 to post!

VIP Stable Sweeps Spa Series

Monday, April 10, 2006 - by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Raceway

This past Saturday night’s Virginia O'Brien Pacing Series Final looked to be a good one, and was led by the Cappello-trained entry of Gemini Jon and Cameloft. Together, they had been a perfect five for five series, and went to post, coupled, at 3-5.

Most eyes were on Gemini Jon, who was undefeated in five starts at Saratoga, highlighted by a 1:54⁴ victory, and who had the local leading driver, Dan Cappello, Jr., in the sulky. Cameloft had the driving services of Josh Marks.

Cappello rushed Gemini Jon at the half-mile station and took the lead, but after a tough trip took its toll their stablemate, Cameloft, picked up the pieces, moved from eighth to first, and swooped the group for Marks.

Gemini Jon finished second and Redford Hall (Frank Coppola, Jr.) finished third. Cameloft stopped the timer in 1:55⁴, and with his share of the purse made more money in this one start than he had all of last year, while a regular $4,000 claming pacer at the Spa.

Fanning solves crisis
March 17, 2006

Although trainer Tom Fanning had a tough day Wednesday having to scratch two horses “injured” out of races at the Meadowlands, he quickly left that crisis mode when his 4-year-old mare Crisis won Thursday night at the Big M.

Crisis was North America’s fastest performer on Thursday with a 1:52 gate-to-wire effort in a $12,500 conditioned pace. It was the daughter of The Panderosa’s first win in four starts after being purchased in late January and sent to Fanning’s barn at Gaitway Farm in New Jersey. Crisis had been racing in Illinois before being bought privately by Ed Bardowski of New Jersey, who later sold three-quarter interest to VIP Internet Stable, a group managed by Tom Janes of New Jersey.

“My owner Ed Bardowski bought the mare, he really liked her. I have to give him 100 percent credit because I wasn’t crazy about it,” said Fanning. “He sent her back here and she is accepting her job. Every week she seems to be a little bit more relaxed and willing to cooperate.”

Fanning said that Crisis had been trained by Illinois-based conditioner John Butenschoen before being purchased, and he gives credit to his peer for helping settling down the rambunctious distaffer.

“They wanted to sell her, but I don’t think there was a lot of interest in her. She had problems with the gate,” said Fanning. “She wouldn’t make the gate or wouldn’t go behind the gate. She was also a very hard horse to control. She had all kinds of baggage but she has a very good pedigree. And Butenschoen did a good job getting her to the races.

“We made some changes,” he added. “We put an ear hood on her and screen over the eyes. We let her head down a little bit. We tried to keep her happy.”

Bardowski had previously owned horses that Butenschoen trained, and he felt familiarity would also help in the sulky. That is why Andy Miller was named to drive in her first three starts at the Big M, before Miller had to pick off to drive his brother Erv’s mare Gro on Feb. 23. Yannick Gingras picked up the mount and he drove her to a second-place finish, losing by a nose to Gro. This time around the tables were turned as Gro finished third behind the winning Crisis.

“She has a tremendous upside,” said Fanning. “I wanted to put her in a $20,000 claimer when I got her but the owners wouldn’t let me. They were right. And I’m glad they were right. As long as she behaves herself she can be a pretty tough horse.”

 (courtesy www.harnessracing.com)

3/16/06 - Gemini Jon, with Dan Cappello, Jr in the sulky,  posted a winning time of 1:55.4 for owners VIP Internet Stable. Competing in the first leg of the Virginia O'Brien Pacing Series, Gemini Jon scored the fastest time of the evening in the six series divisions run. Other first leg winners were Cameloft, Cleaning Lady, Ms Raider, Chianaglia and One Magic Kat. (courtesy www.saratogagamingandraceway.com)