Trainer Domenic Longobardi quit his day job thanks to George Ducharme

by Chris Lomon

Domenic Longobardi doesn’t take any offense when you chide him about quitting his day job.

As a third-generation horseman, the 24-year-old from Franklin, MA, has had a long association with standardbred racing.

But it wasn’t until last year when Longobardi made the decision to close one chapter of his career and embark on a new one.

“I’ve had two horses training for the last four or five years and I was working full-time,” Longobardi said. “But I gave up my full-time job last year and got my trainer’s license. I did landscaping full-time and it was the time to either make it or break it, to make racing a career or put my focus elsewhere.

Longobardi already has highlights to share, courtesy of a trifecta of horses who have provided memorable wins for the young horseman.

Southern Swan, a 14-year-old son of Blissful Hall, delivered a special moment before he even took to the racetrack for Longobardi.

The bay pacer, now with 273 lifetime starts and nearly $200,000 on his dance card, was somewhat of a distraction for a then high school student.

“He has always been a special horse for me,” Longobardi said. “I claimed him the day I graduated high school. I went to the track, put in the check and I was sitting in the auditorium, watching on my phone to see if I got him with Shane and Amy Taggart. That was in 2017 when I was a senior in high school. He’s a special one to me.”

As is another pacer, this one a 5-year-old son of Always B Miki, bred in Illinois by John Legacher.

An original $22,000 purchase at the 2019 Harrisburg Sale, Miki U So Fine has been all that and more over a career that’s yielded just over $144,000 in purse earnings.

“He is another who comes to mind,” Longobardi said. “I bought him and he just climbed up the ladder and has become a really special horse for me.”

And then there is Rooster Bennett.

The 3-year-old son of So Surreal delivered Longobardi his biggest win to date, a victory that came in less-than-ideal conditions.

Not even a torrential downpour could dampen the pacer’s happy connections, including long-time trainer George Ducharme.

“The horse that really stands above all of them for me is Rooster Bennett, who was born and who we raised at our farm,” Longobardi said. “I worked with him a ton and he taught me a lot. My aunt, Nancy Longobardi and I each went in half with him. So, it was extra special when he won a Massachusetts Sires Stakes last year with Yannick Gingras in the bike. That day he won, it was a monsoon, but they were able to win. We ended up getting soaked, but it was definitely the best moment of my career. It wasn’t raining when they went out on the track, but by the time the race got underway, it was just teeming out there. I was nervous, but we got it done. It wasn’t close, but I was still really nervous.”

By the end of 2022, Longobardi had racked up 10 wins, 26 top-three finishes and $99,625 in earnings from 53 starts.

Not a bad start for a first official training year.

“My grandfather trained horses in the 1960s and ’70s and my dad, Domenic, [an executive at Plainridge Park Casino] and aunt — they had a big barn during the Foxboro days — they’ve been part of racing for a long time,” Longobardi said. “I was at the barn before I could walk and I grew up at the [family] farm. I still train the horses on the same track my grandfather did that on.”

It was 10 years ago when Longobardi experienced a life-altering moment, one that eventually led him to his standardbred full-time role.

“As I got older, I didn’t have any interest in the horses in middle school, but George [Ducharme], one of my family’s good friends, he was in the Hambletonian in 2013, so we went as a family,” Longobardi said. “He won the Hambletonian with Royalty For Life and I was in the winner’s circle. It was just a crazy experience and ever since then, I was hooked.”

Longobardi added, with a laugh, “My dad always blames George for getting me into the business.”

After a strong first year out of the gate, he’s looking to push things forward.

Part of the plan is to add more horses to the racing side of the operation.

“My aunt and I do this together,” he said. “I have two racehorses now, but I’d like to make it four. She also has two as well and we also have a bunch of broodmares that we foal out for other people. For the Massachusetts Sires Stakes, they have to be born here. That’s what we do in the wintertime. All of what we do, I really enjoy it.”

Having success certainly helps too.

But Longobardi isn’t the type to rest on his laurels.

“I’ve accomplished more than I ever dreamt I would have, but I’d like to have four or five horses and keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I want to try to learn something every day. I’m young, so I want to keep learning. I’d like to have a Massachusetts stakes horse and a higher-caliber stakes horse to race elsewhere.”

Time for pursuits outside of racing is at a premium.

One goal is the hope of scoring a few goals while playing his favorite sport.

“I played hockey in high school and I really enjoyed it,” he said. “I don’t currently play, but I’d like to join a beer league soon, maybe this year. Otherwise, I spend time with my family, my girlfriend and other friends who aren’t involved in racing. It’s nice to be a normal member of society every once in a while.”

It’s also nice when there are no regrets about the career change you made.

Working with the standardbreds continues to be a source of happiness and fulfillment for Longobardi.

“It’s a full circle thing,” he said. “I like to get out of bed every day and come to the farm. It couldn’t have gone any better so far. I was nervous about making that leap, but last year was amazing. It really was a dream come true. This career has been everything I ever could have asked for. It’s really been awesome.”