Meadowlands: Di Domenico six-pack takes aim weekend pay dirt

With 70 horses under his care, trainer Scott Di Domenico has few moments to concentrate on anything but his horses. Fortunately, between training trips on Wednesday morning, he was able to comment on the chances of six starters he'll send out this weekend at the Meadowlands.

For Di Domenico, most of the comments concerned an issue that is not unique at this time of year. Specifically, many horses have missed weeks of racing due to limited opportunities, as well as some cancellations.

The Cookie Monster drew the pole position in Friday night's third race at the Meadowlands, and the now 6-year-old homebred out of the $1.4 million winner Handsoffmycookie, may have found a class he can handle in this non-winners of $3,000 last five event. It was Handsoffmycookie that catapulted Di Domenico's rise in the business a dozen years ago when she captured the New York Sire Stakes final and was a runner-up in the Breeders Crown while winning nine times in a dozen starts for Di Domenico. After a lengthy racing career, she retired to broodmare duty with The Cookie Monster her very first foal.

"He should be good in here," said Di Domenico, referring to Friday's contest where his charge has pole position and Tyler Buter in the bike.

As for Di Domenico's other Friday night starter Trizzle Trazzle in the 14th race nightcap, the trainer was a bit dismissive.

"She's been off too long," Di Domenico said. Nevertheless, there was a caveat in his commentary. "She did race very well in her last start, getting parked to the half in 55 4/5 at Yonkers."

A 6-year-old mare by Mach Three, Trizzle Trazzle goes for an optional $12,500 claiming tag in a conditioned event for non-winners of $3,000 last five fillies and mares. Trizzle Trazzle drew post eight and is likely to return to Yonkers when that track opens the 2023 season next week.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

On Saturday night Di Domenico starts the evening in the first race and from post one as he did on Friday. At the same time, his feelings regarding Ourrhythmnblues N were not quite as positive as The Cookie Monster from the previous night.

"He qualified well but he's in with significantly better horses," Di Domenico said, pointing specifically to Whitecookie (post eight), a horse from the Ron Burke stable that had been racing in $75,000 claimers in December over the half-miler at Yonkers.

Ourrhythmnblues N suffered an injury last July after racing at the $50,000 claiming level at Yonkers and may need a couple of starts before he can regain the competitive level he's in with this Saturday. This non-winners of $10,500 last five also includes the 5-year-old return of the extremely fast Carbine (post two), a 1:47 4/5 victor last year at the Meadowlands who was a solid 1:52 4/5 qualifying winner on January 7 over the track.

One Off Delight A (post five) gives Di Domenico a decent chance in Saturday's third race, a non-winners of $5,000 last five conditioned event.

"He got shut off in his last race at Yonkers and finished very well," said Di Domenico. "I'm concerned with the time off, but he should be ok in that class."

Di Domenico's luck of the draw continued Saturday with Denmark Seelster making a return to the races in the fourth, a $20,000 claimer honoring Martin Luther King.

"It was a bad claim," Di Domenico said as a matter of fact.

Taken by Di Domenico on October 28 at the $25,000 level, Denmark Seelster made two starts in that class at Yonkers with no success and has now qualified back looking for a fresh start at the Meadowlands.

"He's raced on the big track in Canada, so I'm hoping that will help," said Di Domenico.

When it comes to claiming horses, Di Domenico has had far more successes than failures through his career, and perhaps Statement Made A (post one) in Saturday's 12th race will provide an upside after he was plucked on New Year's Eve at Harrah's Philadelphia. The now 10-year-old import closed out his 2022 campaign with a pair of wins and second-place finishes in December for his former stable.

"I'm on the track with him now," Di Domenico said on Wednesday morning before putting Statement Made A through his final training trip in advance of Saturday's stable debut. "I like him a lot and I think he'll be good from this spot, especially with George [Brennan] in the bike."

Di Domenico has just seven 2-year-olds in training and six 3-year-olds, with the rest of his stable overnight horses. "I'm focused on racing at Yonkers," Di Domenico said. "But I'd like to have a good number racing at the Meadowlands as well."

With a bit more conditioning, expect Di Domenico to be a solid player, especially in the claiming ranks at the mile track in East Rutherford, New Jersey.