Driver Jordan Stratton has made a name for himself as one of the leading drivers at Yonkers Raceway each year. Stratton has made a commitment that he hopes he can maintain throughout the year in 2024, and that is to compete regularly at the Meadowlands. "I'd like to race year-round on Saturdays if I can get the mounts," said Stratton of his decision. "It's different than the half-mile track," said Stratton. "There's more strategy involved on the mile track. On the half it's more about the power." With a full five nights of racing at Yonkers Monday through Friday, Stratton's schedule is consistent, but fitting in at the Meadowlands on Saturdays may get harder down the road as more of the Grand Circuit-type drivers return to action. On Saturday's first February card at the Meadowlands, Stratton hopes to get the ball rolling in a good way in the first race where he'll sit behind TKO Blue Chip for veteran trainer Randy Taft. "He definitely needed a start two back," said Stratton. "Last week we were weaving through traffic and he was full of pace finishing." TKO Blue Chip drew post three in a TrackMaster rating of 77 class, the first of 14 races on Saturday's Meadowlands program. Desire's Captain is a veteran racing at the $15,000 claiming level for trainer Bill MacKenzie. Stratton will guide the 10-year-old from post three in the second race on Saturday. "I used him pretty hard two weeks ago and he didn't finish for me, but last time he finished strongly," said Stratton. Desire's Captain drew posts eight and 10 in his last two starts for Stratton and now lands post three, giving the driver more options along the way. "He fits with this group well," Stratton said. Stellar Yankee (post six) looks for his second straight since his arrival at the Meadowlands for his connections. Last week (January 27) Stellar Yankee took a lifetime mark, winning in 1:50 4/5 over the mile track. "He's been racing at Yonkers but doesn't handle the turns that well," said Stratton of the 6-year-old son of Always B Miki trained by his brother Cory. "I'm surprised that they didn't bring him over here sooner." Stellar Yankee (race seven) is an 18-time winner during his racing career and earned $111K in 40 starts in 2023 while racing almost exclusively over the Yonkers half-mile track. "I definitely think there's room for him to climb the classes at the Meadowlands," Stratton said with some confidence, given the impressive first effort last week. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter In race eight Stratton will have his work cut out behind Bobcat Bay, a 7-year-old that landed post nine in the non-winners of $5,000 conditioned affair. "I really raced him aggressively last time and he held pretty well for second," said Stratton in describing the January 27 trip that saw Bobcat Bay on the lead in a 27 second first quarter and then attacking again before three-quarters in a quick mile. Though this week's class suggests a drop in company from last week, a majority of the field is made up of similar types, leaving Stratton in a much more demanding situation. "With the outside draw I'm probably going to try to give him an easier trip," said Stratton. Southwind Sambucca will be Stratton's mount in the ninth race, a high-level conditioned affair with an $18,000 purse. "I'm going to try to keep him flat," said Stratton of the 4-year-old gelding that made a break in stride on January 13 in a Meadowlands race and found himself in need of a qualifier. Southport Beach moves from claimers into conditioned company for Stratton in race 11 on Saturday night, and the pilot may need a bit of luck. "He showed a little pace finishing up last week [January 27]," said Stratton. "I'll try to work out a trip with him." Stratton was content with his 2023 season as he finished the year with 310 wins and $7.6 million in purse earnings. The driver had major hopes of breaking through on the Grand Circuit and Voukefalas came close for him but couldn't get over the hump in the major contests of 2023. "Things didn’t work out in the North America Cup," said Stratton of the fourth-place finish against It's My Show where he sat in for the final a week after the horse made an untimely break in the elimination heat. "We followed Brett's horse [Confederate] in the Meadowlands Pace, but that horse was vicious that night." The driver was excited prior to the Little Brown Jug that Voukefalas could put the pieces together in Ohio's first $1 million Jug, but the colt didn’t get around the track as expected and failed to make the final. "It was great winning the Gold Cup & Saucer," said Stratton of a stakes-level race he did capture behind Covered Bridge last August. He also won the Camluck Classic with the veteran son of the late American Ideal.