Jordan Stratton and Kyle DiBenedetto didn’t leave much for their counterparts Wednesday, November 4 at Monticello Raceway. Stratton won five and DiBenedetto copped four of the 13 races offered, leaving a scant few others for the rest of the boys.
Last season at age 21, Stratton became the youngest to ever win a driving title at the 'Mighty M' when his 362 wins were tops on the local leaderboard. Though this year the youngster has concentrated more on racing at Yonkers than at Monticello, he has still added 150 Monticello Raceway driving victories to his seasonal total of 422.
On Wednesday, Stratton began his assault with a 2:01:2 trotting victory with Andrea Hill’s J W Dutch Treat in the second race, and then came in the next contest to reign with Betty Clegg’s pacer Best Brand in 1:59:1
Stratton again got his picture taken in the seventh race when he guided Heather Arruda’s Casablanca Hall to a 1:57:4 triumph and followed with a 1:59:4 win in the weekly trotting feature with Bill Varney’s Pembroke Prayer.
Stratton capped his day with a 2:02 trotting victory behind Walter Blarcharski’s Man Of Science in 2:02 in the 10th race.
DiBenedetto, who currently second on the leaderboard, added four more wins to his seasonal total. He now has 192 for the meeting.
DiBenedetto, 42, who earlier this year passed the 5000-win plateau, didn’t reach then winners circle until the fifth race when he guided Free Pickle Stables pacer Time Slips Away to a 1:59.1 triumph. He followed in the next contest with a 2:01:2 trotting victory behind Donald Roth’s Justi PV.
Win number three on the card for DiBenedetto came in the 11th race when he drove Robert Lasagne’s McNally to a 2:00:1 victory. He ended his afternoon with a 1:59 pacing triumph with Leah Schifano’s Sunfish Hanover in the 12th race.
(With files from Monticello)