Meadowlands: Stratton looks to get into the win column this weekend

Following a career-best in wins and earnings in 2024, trainer Cory Stratton is hoping for even better results in 2025. With Yonkers Raceway set to open next week, Stratton continues to try to keep his stable active racing weekends at the Meadowlands.

Last year Stratton's stable earned more than $2.2 million with 126 wins, but things have gotten off to a slow start to date, with a limited number from Stratton's 50-horse stable in action. To make matters more difficult this weekend at the Meadowlands, Stratton was only able to get in about half the horses he entered on the Friday and Saturday race cards, and most of his horses drew post 10.

"It wasn't the best," said Stratton about the coming weekend. "I still think a few have chances."

The confidence Stratton has, despite the hard-luck draws, is built on his stable's capacity to go the distance. With 900 starts last year, Stratton is in for the long game, and the first few weeks of the year are hardly a measure of what could be down the road with a stable that has improved its quality and should compete at a high level at both Yonkers and the Meadowlands.

"I will definitely be racing at the Meadowlands," Stratton said. "For Once Inmy Life and Stellar Yankee are both better on the mile track."

Stratton was referring to the pair entered in Saturday's tenth race, the co-featured non-winners of $12,500 last four starts class with a purse of $17,500.

"I think For Once Inmy Life still has a good chance despite the post," said Stratton.

The now 5-year-old son of Downbytheseaside exudes class, with Stratton picking up the training duties last September. For Once Inmy Life hasn't missed the board for Stratton while racing both at Yonkers and the Meadowlands, and was a solid second in last Saturday's (January 11) Big M feature.

Stellar Yankee got the best draw of all of Stratton's horses entered this weekend, landing post three in the same race. While Stratton would prefer not to have to race two of his own horses in a single contest, he understands the benefits of at least racing. Stellar Yankee also had a second-place finish in last week's Meadowlands action but was racing in a lower class than his stablemate.

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Stratton also singled out Illustriousarden N, a pacing mare entered in Friday's 13th race, a $12,500 claiming event.

"She's finished with a lot of pace last week and she found a good spot," said Stratton of the import that has won twice in her last four starts.

Looking at the big picture with a diverse stable that will see more starters in the coming weeks, Stratton is hoping to see continued progress from a horse he claimed towards the end of the Yonkers 2024 meet. Stormont Divide was claimed for $75,000 in November at Yonkers by Stratton, and the gelding had a win and a pair of seconds in the four $35,000 Invitationals he competed in at the close of the meet.

"We'll see how he comes back, but I'm hoping he continues to race at this level. If he does, I'll probably nominate him to some of the races over the five-eighths tracks," Stratton said about the horse he claimed off leading trainer Ron Burke.

"Ronnie has a large stable and he can't race all of his horses at the highest level," said Stratton of his thought process in claiming off the sport's winningest trainer. "He's claimed horses from me and done well, and I've claimed horses from him and done well."

In addition to Stormont Divide, Stratton has some high-classed pacers looking to do damage once again at Yonkers with Idealsomemagic A and Whats Stanley Got A perhaps competing at the top level.

"We're going to race Idealsomemagic A and see how he does," said Stratton with a bit of caution on the horse that earned $412K under his care in 2023 but started just nine times last year. Now an 11-year-old, Idealsomemagic A won his final start of 2024, but that was against non-winners of $10,000 last five company.

Stratton was more certain that Whats Stanley Got A would be nominated to the MGM Borgata Pacing Series later this season following a career year in 2024. The now 9-year-old son of Heston Blue Chip started 37 times and made $237K in his second full year since joining Stratton's stable.

Stratton has six 2-year-olds in training and is also bringing back five 3-year-olds, with a larger group of claimers dominating the stable. Though he has had success bringing horses to the U.S. from Down Under, Stratton has remained resolved to spend carefully.

"The most we've spent for any horse is $75,000," said Stratton of his stable's limitations.

Sweethomealabama N is a promising son of Sweet Lou that won his last two starts in 2024 at Yonkers and could be heading up the class ladder in 2025. Chanceoflightning, an $18,000 yearling purchase at the Goshen Sale in 2023, made $84K in her first year of racing without winning a race. The daughter of Courtly Choice finished fourth in the New York Sire Stakes final.

"I think Courtly Choice is a solid sire and is great value," said Stratton. "He didn't get to breed to the best mares."

It's way too early to look at Stratton's 2-year-olds in training, but the group are all New York-breds.