Bennys Jets Delivers Emotional Win for 93-Year-Old Namesake

In the moments following the second race on July 19 at Woodbine, a touching scene unfolded as the 3-year-old gelding gently lowered his head into the open arms of 93-year-old lifelong racetracker Benito “Benny” D’Avella in the winner’s circle.

The memory remains fresh for trainer John Mattine.

As it became clear that Bennys Jets, a son of 2015 Queen’s Plate winner Shaman Ghost, would reach the wire first in the six-furlong maiden claiming race for 3-year-olds and up, the veteran conditioner smiled – knowing just how much the win would mean to D’Avella.

The Ontario-bred bay is named after the retired barber.

“Benny has been coming to the races for a long, long time,” said Mattine. “He would go to Long Branch Racetrack when it was in its heyday back in the 1940s and 1950s, and he was at Woodbine when it opened in 1956. He is a guy who loves to bet on the races and loves to watch the horses run.”

With the sense that they had a legitimate shot at winning, Mattine made sure D’Avella had the best view possible.

“Recently, Benny has needed the use of a wheelchair, so we positioned him right where he could see the finish line clearly – just in case,” said Mattine. “There’s a video of him watching the race, and when Bennys Jets zipped past, you could see how excited he was.”

But the excitement didn’t stop there.

“You could see the joy in his eyes,” recalled Mattine. “I said, ‘Benny, why don’t we go down and see the horse?’ We wheeled him close to Bennys Jets, and they got a chance to meet one another. Benny gave him a pat… just a wonderful moment.”

It was a moment to remember — not only for D’Avella and Mattine, but also for jockey Dalila Rivera.

Hailing from Ponce, a large city on Puerto Rico’s southern coast, the young rider earned her first career victory at Woodbine.

“Isn’t that wild?” said Mattine. “She was on the horse when he finished second in his previous race, and I thought she rode a pretty good race on him that day. And then she came back and got it done. She was obviously happy – very professional and composed.”

The following morning, Rivera’s happiness was still on full display.

“My dad (horseman Tony Mattine, who passed away in 2009) was friends with Angel Cordero, Jr., so I called Angel and handed the phone to Dalila when she came to the backstretch. He congratulated her on the win. I think it meant a lot to her.”

But what impressed Mattine most was Rivera’s thoughtfulness after the race.

“Dalila dropped by the morning after the race to thank us and congratulate us and to see the horse. That means a lot. I like seeing that.”

The story of Bennys Jets began at the 2023 CTHS Premier Yearling Sale, where owner Tony Romanelli of RCC Racing Stable invited D’Avella to help choose a horse.

Romanelli, a partner in Rexton Developments, has been involved in racing for over 15 years. His RCC Racing Stable has partnered with Mattine throughout, including fielding two King’s Plate starters: Silent Miracle (2023) and Vaughan (2017).

He is also friends with D’Avella’s son-in-law, Rocco Forgione.

“We were at the 2023 CTHS Premier Yearling Sale and we asked Benny to help us pick one out,” recalled Mattine. “He saw this horse and said, ‘I like this one.’ Rocco said Tony, ‘Why don’t we name him after Benny?’ Tony liked it and so that’s what they did.”

For D’Avella, having a horse named after him is the ultimate racing highlight.

“Benny was so excited,” said Mattine. “It will be something he will always remember. He feels a connection. He’s never had anything like this, so you can see how much it means to him. He has seen thousands of horses race over his lifetime and now he has one named after him.”

And it’s that emotional connection – not just the win – that made the second race on July 19 so special.

“It’s a nice little story,” said Mattine. “We have a lot of them in our sport. We just need to get them out there for people to read about.”

Chris Lomon, Woodbine