After ending his 2025 campaign with back-to-back victories, Benny J will look to continue his winning ways in his first start this year when he meets nine rivals on the trot on Sunday afternoon (January 11) at the Meadowlands.
Racing starts at 12:30 PM (ET) on Sunday. The card is the first of four Sunday afternoon offerings at the Big M, followed by action on January 18, January 25 and February 1, as the Meadowlands operates a Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule for the month.
Benny J, a 5-year-old son of Walner-Anywhere With You, owned by Ken Jacobs, won the $35,000 Exit 16W Pop Up Series conditioned trotting final in 1:52.4 on Dec. 18 at the Meadowlands and followed that triumph with a score of 1:55.1 in a $13,500 conditioned event on Dec. 31 at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
The wins capped a season in which Benny J got off to a delayed start due to injury and then battled on the Kentucky Sire Stakes circuit and in the MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
“He had an injury his last start of the year, so we had to give him some time and he came back well,” coach Tony Alagna said. “Mr. Jacobs is a patient owner and gave him all the time he needed to be able to come back and perform at the level we thought he could. We are very happy with the way he is coming back.”
“He started off a little rough when he went to Kentucky and raced the four-year-olds in the top division, but since we brought him home, and with the addition of Lasix, he has really gotten into his groove, starting the last pair.”
As a three-year-old, Benny J took a win and a third place in the preliminaries of the New Jersey Sire Stakes series before finishing second Karel in the final. He also earned paychecks in three preliminary rounds and the final of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series, as well as in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes.
Throughout his career, Benny J has five wins in 34 races and earnings of $219,995.
“He is a versatile horse,” Alagna said. “He can get away and get off the pace. It’s better if he doesn’t get used too hard early in the mile, but in his last few starts he’s actually been good that way. He was good in his last start versus easier, but when he won the series finale at the Meadowlands the start before that, he was very sharp and came home in :27.2, which was an important last quarter that night.
“The good thing is he can ride on any track. He hasn’t had that many starts, so we decided to push it a little bit and race him while he’s sharp. So that’s what we’re doing, and then we’ll see where we are and decide what to do with him at 5 years old.”
Benny J is the 2-1 morning line favorite in Sunday’s trot at the Meadowlands, where he will start from post six with Jim Marohn Jr. in the sulky.
Among the others in the field is 5-year-old mare Bourbonista S, who took a win over Benny J in a stage of the Exit 16W series, as well as a second place, before finishing sixth in the final. Sunday will be her first race since then and she returns to Lasix for the first time.
A daughter of Face Time Bourbon-Affinity Kronos, Bourbonista S was purchased at an online auction by Deo Volente Farms in May and launched her North American racing career in November with trainer Noel Daley. She has a win and two seconds in five races, all at the Meadowlands.
Throughout her lifetime, she stood on the board in 15 of 21 starts, winning five and earning $92,638. Among her starts in Sweden last year, she finished third in a Group 2 event for 4-year-old mares, captured by 2024 Dan Patch Award winner Allegiant.
“I loved how she trained,” Daley said. “She has been a bit inconsistent, but she did have a bleed the last time she raced, and I expect her to be better. She can be a bit of a handful on the track, she can get a bit excited, but she runs very well and is easy to be around. She always seemed very nice and she has trained well.”
Bourbonista S will leave from post four on Sunday with driver Johnathan Ahle. She is 6-1 on the morning line.
For free Meadowlands past performances from TrackMaster, click here.
Through Ken Weingartnerfor the USTA
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