Trainer Travis Alexander may be overseeing a large part of his stable in Florida these days, but his New York/New Jersey-based group is still a major player on the East Coast. On Saturday Alexander will send out six horses on the 14-race program at the Meadowlands, and he's quite optimistic about their collective chances assuming the forecasted rain and snow don't negatively impact the races. Smokin By N, who landed post seven in Saturday's opener, made his Meadowlands debut on the final night of racing in 2023 and finished well back in a claiming handicap. "He's not an easy horse to drive," said Alexander of the 10-year-old import. "He's definitely got some quirks, but we've had him before and know how to handle him." Alexander thinks the drop in company will definitely help Smokin By N this week but is not sure he'll remain in East Rutherford for long. "He's better on the half-mile track and he'll probably go back to Yonkers when they re-open," said Alexander of the veteran pacer that had two wins and a second in his last three starts over the Yonkers half-miler in December. Moving from the half-mile track to the mile oval is not always an easy transition, and Alexander is hoping that the 6-year-old Stop Staring can make the switch. "I think he's in the right class," Alexander said of the $20,000-30,000 claiming handicap carded as race four. "It's hard to know if they can pick up six seconds." Stop Staring drew post three on Saturday. There's strength in numbers and for Alexander that means a pair from his stable drew in the same race as Mr Ds Rock (post nine) and Boiling Oar (post ten) fill the outside of the fifth race $40,000-50,000 claiming handicap. "We bought the outside post," said Alexander, who put a $50,000 tag on Boiling Oar for that reason. "I was cussing at Andy [McCarthy] last week for getting him down to the half that fast, but it worked out well. He's very sharp right now and I don't think post 10 will bother him." With his victory on the final night of racing in 2023, Boiling Oar went over the $100K mark in annual earnings. He was claimed by Alexander at the $40,000 level last November and looks for his third straight victory over the mile track this Saturday. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter Mr Ds Rock is now a 7-year-old and has been a staple of the Alexander stable for some time. The Ohio-bred son of Pet Rock is in for a $48,000 tag, and Alexander expects a better effort from him this week. "He definitely needed that start last week," said Alexander of the second-place finish behind his stablemate. Mr Ds Rock was right up behind Boiling Oar through the tough pace and was a solid runner-up. "Andy [Miller] told me he was still battling to the wire," Alexander said. TJ's Indy Pacer (post five) hopes to turn things around in Saturday's 12th race for Alexander. "He got torched last time," said Alexander, noting the wicked middle-half TJ's Indy Pacer had to endure against a tougher field in his December 23 start at the Meadowlands. “I think it’s a great spot for him." TJ's Indy Pacer drops to the non-winners of $3,000 in last four starts condition. A newcomer to the Alexander stable, El Yerno hopes to close out the Saturday program on a winning note. The 4-year-old by Huntsville drew post five in the nightcap, a non-winners of two affair for a $14,500 purse. "He couldn't get over the half-mile track for the Bongiornos," said Alexander of El Yerno. In his debut for Alexander last Saturday, El Yerno was a solid third behind the streaking Irish-bred import Oakwood Arden in a snappy 1:50 4/5 mile. "I think he has a good chance to win in there," said Alexander about El Yerno. Alexander's stable has grown over the last few years and 2023 ended with nearly $4 million banked on the season, quite close to the mark hit in 2022. "It was still a good year," said Alexander. "We started with 30 babies [2-year-olds] and 12 of them got hurt in the stall. That's 40 percent that got wiped out by bad luck." Alexander has 25 2-year-olds in training among the 60 stabled in Florida and a host of top-shelf 3-year-olds eying a return in 2024. "Avenger Force is a colt I'm excited about," said Alexander of the sophomore New York-bred that earned $162K in his first year on the track. "Delightville got injured in her stall last year and missed time. I've got high hopes for her," said Alexander of the sophomore Huntsville-sired homebred that banked $73K in just six freshman starts in 2023. "Courtship ended 2023 in good shape," said Alexander of the Betting Line-sired gelding that finished second by a head in the Kindergarten final at the Meadowlands in November. Courtship took a 1:51 seasonal mark in a Kindergarten leg and won two of his final three freshman starts. Alexander will spend most of his time in Florida this winter but will make a few trips to the Northeast during that time period. "I've got a great staff in New York that's has been with me for 10 years," said Alexander of the trust he has in his team, who will be on-hand Saturday for the 6:20 P.M. opener and through the night.