Trainer Shane Tritton is setting his stable back in motion on the first weekend in February with four horses entered on Friday and Saturday nights at the Meadowlands and a fifth going postward Monday at Yonkers. For Tritton, who along with his wife Lauren had their best year in 2023 since arriving in the States permanently, the weekend is only the beginning of what looks like another promising campaign. On Friday the 14-year-old Yayas Hot Spot N makes the first start in his last eligible year of racing, and that's something not lost on Tritton. "We've had him since he was a 2-year-old," said Tritton. "He's sort of a pet horse for us, and I'm hoping we can get a couple of more wins on him before the year is out." Yayas Hot Spot N, a career earner of over $600K, has raced each year, with Tritton recalling a streak of 10 successive wins early in the brilliant career. "He's the only horse that I've ever trained that has qualified for the Miracle Mile two times," said Tritton, acknowledging the classy veteran for what he's meant to the stable over the last dozen years. As for Friday's start, his first competitive race in two months, Tritton was optimistic. "He qualified back pretty good the second time [Yonkers, February 1]," said Tritton. "If they go in the [1:]52-53 range he should be fine. Yogi [Sheridan] gets along very well with him." Yayas Hot Spot N drew post four in Friday's 13th race, a Trackmaster rated 71 event. The classy Muscle Factory A landed post seven in Saturday's fifth race, and Tritton is still hoping that North American fans will get to see this classy horse see success. "He's a very fast horse that has had issues staying sound," said Tritton. "He qualified well for Jason [Bartlett] but he may need a run or two." Muscle Factory A is a 9-year-old son of Roll With Joe with 19 career wins but only one of those has come since he arrived Stateside in 2022. Keayang Kamikaze A makes his North American debut for Tritton in Saturday's eighth race, and the Bettor's Delight-sired gelding could be ready first time out. "He was very strong in his qualifier at Yonkers," said Tritton of the 1:56 3/5 effort on February 1. As with many sons and daughters of Bettor's Delight that have arrived from Down Under, Keayang Kamikaze A will be racing with Lasix for the first time in a race on Saturday. "He raced more on the big tracks in Australia and that's why we're starting him at the Meadowlands. I think once he gets acclimated he'll be a non-winners of $14,000-$20,000 type of horse," said Tritton. Keayang Kamikaze A drew post nine against non-winners of $7,500 field. Tritton believes Majorly Sexy A could be primed for a top effort in Saturday's 12th race, a bottom-level conditioned event. "Andy [McCarthy] was really happy with him in the qualifier," said Tritton, who gets the pilot back from post five on Saturday. "This is a very fast horse, one that can pace a quarter in 25 seconds. He's my jinx horse." ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter Tritton had high hopes for Majorly Sexy A when he made his career debut as a 6-year-old in March of 2022 at the Meadowlands. There was plenty of reason for optimism given he finished second behind Covered Bridge in a qualifier over this track before his first career start. That said, he's won just twice since then in 17 starts. If all systems are go Majorly Sexy A should have little difficulty winning his 2024 debut. While there have been highs and lows for Tritton and his team since arriving in the middle of the COVID-19 outbreak, there has been one constant that the stable could count on. Nandolo N has been a major breadwinner for the stable in each of the last three years, with 2023 seeing him start the most times of any Tritton horse (32) and finish the year with $186K banked. "I wanted to get him in at the Meadowlands," said Tritton "but they couldn't get a race for him. He's come back great, and this is his time of year." Nandolo N drew the rail in Monday's ninth race at Yonkers, a non-winners of $17,621 event. "I think Lauren is going to have to drive him because Jason [Bartlett] is taking days," said Tritton. Nandolo N won his qualifier at the Meadowlands on February 3 in 1:51 1/5 and his trainer, even considering the last three years, believes the horse has never been better. "How many horses can race like him and take air on the outside and just keep coming," said Tritton, questioning a comparison that just doesn't exist in today's sport. Tritton pointed out that it was at this time of the year that Nandolo N paced to his 1:48 3/5 career mark at the Meadowlands in 2023. Tritton said that he likely won't nominate Nandolo N this year to the MGM Borgata Pacing Series as he has in the past, suggesting he'd like to take it a little easier on the veteran in 2024. Tritton is training seven freshmen for the coming season and is anxiously awaiting to debut some new and old stars. "We brought over this filly August Moon, a daughter of Captaintreacherous that was one of the best 3-year-old fillies. I got her in late December and she's about six weeks away," said Tritton. It's A Me Mario, last year's surprise Meadowlands Pace finalist, is another that could be close to returning. "He's probably ready to qualify soon but I'll give him more time. I'm not going to stake him this year but hopefully next year when he's a 5-year-old," offered Tritton. While Tritton had a career high 62 wins and $1.18 in horse earnings in 2023, it is worth noting that his stable has been ultra-consistent since arriving in the U.S., winning at least 48 times each year. You can expect more of the same likely as 2024 unfolds.