Kyle DiBenedetto celebrated a driving career milestone this past Wednesday, July 30 by earning his 7,000th win aboard the Bryson Dunning-trained trotter Soprese ($13) in 1:59 at Monticello Raceway. It was only fitting that he achieved the milestone at the track where he honed his driving skills in his formative years.
The 58-year-old reinsmen, who lives in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, started his driving career in 1981. Dibenedetto was born in Freehold, New Jersey and his father Bill was a trainer at Freehold and Monticello raceways for decades. He schooled his first horse as a 12-year-old.
Dibenedetto is a past five-time Monticello Raceway and two-time Pocono Downs leading dash-winning driver. He posted a personal-best 316 wins in a single season in 1997, one of three years he topped the 300-win mark. Dibenedetto's career-year for earnings was in 2009 when horses he drove banked more than $1.2 million; he has broken the million-dollar mark four times. Dibenedetto has amassed total purses of $26.5 million while driving in more than 54,900 races.
Currently, Dibenedetto is the fourth-leading dash winner at the Mighty M this year, with 90 wins.
While looking back on his career Dibenedetto said, “It’s been a tough grind, you always feel like you could be 30 days out of the business. The driving colony at Monticello is a tough bunch of guys. I am just glad I can continue to do what I love.”
(With files from Monticello Raceway)