Some people skip classes to go down the shore. Others play hooky and go to Great Adventure or spend the day shopping in New York City. But as a kid, Vito Cucci skipped school at 12 years old to bet on horses at Monmouth Park. Flash forward to 2024, and his horse Dornoch claimed the top prize at the prestigious Belmont Stakes race.
The three-year-old horse took first place in June at the Saratoga Race Course, earning $2 Million to boot. The Belmont Stakes is one leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Dornoch, nicknamed Noch, is named after a town and golf club in Scotland where a business partner is a member. “To win the biggest race nationally is incredible,” Vito says.
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The horse also placed first at the recent Haskell Stakes, a premier thoroughbred race at Monmouth Park Racetrack. Dornock’s recent success also helped increase the race’s attendance, drawing its largest crowd since 2015. “I loved racing and winning at my hometown track in my home state,” Vito adds. One reason is because family and friends who typically don’t travel for other races were able to attend.
The Road to Belmont Stakes
Prior to winning the Belmont Stakes, Vito started Belmar Racing and Breeding LLC in 2018. The Belmar resident breeds and owns standardbred trotters, which race at Freehold Racetrack, Meadowlands Racetrack, and other harness racing tracks. Another horse he bred, Cool Papa Bell, won the Hambletonian (the second leg of the Trotting Triple Crown) in 2022.
Belmar Racing and Breeding LLC has run two horses in Breeders’ Cup races. The business also co-owns other horses that participate in top European races. But it’s not a job to Vito. “This is my passion. It’s my hobby,” he says. “I don’t golf. I don’t fish. All my free time is focused on horse racing and breeding. It has been such a blessing and brought so much joy to my family.”
Dornoch has two races left in his career. He will race at Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in August, then the Breeders’ Cup in San Diego. After that, the horse will go to a farm in Kentucky to become a standing stud. That means he will mate to hopefully create another championship racehorse. “We hope to have lots of little Dornochs,” Vito jokes.
Vito believes horse racing is extremely important for New Jersey. “People don’t understand it,” he says. “They need to look at it from a business as well as environmental perspective.” He feels that farms make the state a desirable place to live and work. Horse racing promotes open spaces and stabilizes communities, enabling an ideal ratio of farms to development. He feels farms provide cleaner air and an overall sense of well-being. The horse racing industry also creates jobs such as caretakers, trainers, veterinarians, people who ship horses, and more. “The economic impact is incredible,” he adds.
About Vito Cucci
A New Jersey native, Vito also co-owns a number of New Jersey’s Best Wedding Venues. This includes Nanina’s In the Park in Belleville, the Park Chateau Estate & Gardens in East Brunswick, the Chateau Grande Hotel in East Brunswick, and the Park Savoy Estate in Florham Park. But his side gig revolves around his first true love – horse racing.
Vito is a first-generation Italian American who has lived in New Jersey his entire life. Racing fans will typically find him wearing maroon and grey on racing day. These are the colors of Nutley High School, where Vito played football.
Top Photo: © Janet Garaguso
Additional Photos Provided by Vito Cucci
