Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing's

Driver of the Month for
June 2005

Cat Manzi

Cat Manzi, second in the all-time victory list among North American harness drivers, posted career victory 11,000 with Classical Man in the seventh race on Thursday night, April 28, 2005 at the Meadowlands.

Manzi, who trails only Herve Filion [15,200+] on the all-time list, also currently leads all drivers by wins in 2005 with 356 victories (as of June 2). Cat is also third in earnings with $3.4 million, behind Brian Sears ($4 million) and David Miller ($3.8 million).

Cat, a 54-year-old Freehold, New Jersey resident, has $105 million in career earnings, was inducted into harness racing's Hall of Fame in 2002.

Cat was born into a harness racing family on June 27, 1950 in Monticello, New York. His brother John Manzi, is the long-time Publicity Director at Monticell Raceway.

Cat Manzi

In the fall of 2004 the members of the Monticello-Goshen Chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers Association honored Catello Manzi with their Lifetime Achievement Award. Recently, on May 31 of this year Cat returned to his roots--driving at Monticello Raceway twice a week, on Mondays and Tuesday throughout the summer months. On May 31 he donated all of the money he earned from driving to Harness Racing's National Hall of Fame.

“I would like to donate any money I earn from driving on May 31 to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen ,” Manzi said. “ I hope I can get some live mounts that day so I can make a sizable donation.”

Manzi is no stranger to Monticello Raceway. A native of nearby Liberty, NY he began his illustrious career at the Sullivan County oval in the late 1960's and was the tracks leading driver before moving his base of operations to the Meadowlands in 1976.

When asked how it felt to move into second place on the all-time driver standings, Manzi said, "Well, I'm proud of it. I think it's a great thing that it happened to me. I just think that it's nice to have had that many chances to drive."

Last year Cat's 651 driving victories made him second best in the USA behind Dave Palone's 670. To date this year he won an unprecedented 17th driving title at Freehold Raceway, which concluded its meet on Saturday, May 28.

I just think that it's nice to have had that many chances to drive.

Over the years Cat has sat behind some of harness racing's finest trotters and pacers such as Harmonious, Nuclear Siren, Anxious Robby, Riyadh, Bullville Victory, Cam's Magic Trick, Scoot To Power, Wesgate Crown, Pacific Fella, Fast Photo, Winky's Goal, Hoot Bowl, Sally Hanover, Imperfection, Tattler's Torpedo and Direct Current, to name just a few.

Cat's Driving Record Through June 2, 2005

*Year     Starts    1st      2nd     3rd     Money Won    UDRS
*2005      1856      356      303      262      $3,469,054      0.330
*2004      3294      651      513      391      $7,693,362      0.324
*2003      2726      415      413      371      $5,506,822      0.278
2002      2655      416      371      351      $4,855,880      0.278
*2001      2468      401      343      307      $4,115,237      0.281
*2000      2744      446      370      335      $5,447,231      0.278
*1999      2403      371      338      297      $4,035,102      0.274
*1998      2919      399      388      373      $5,444,858      0.253
*1997      3195      473      405      392      $4,772,720      0.259
*1996      2907      463      368      373      $4,169,041      0.272
*1995      2955      399      396      346      $5,044,704      0.249
*1994      3034      407      414      379      $4,569,712      0.252
*1993      3042      437      357      372      $4,725,436      0.250
*1992      3427      548      483      407      $5,187,292      0.278
1991       3350      548      461      421      $4,793,239      0.282
1990       3750      641      481      488      $5,512,251      0.286
1989       3729      687      577      487      $4,479,193      0.314
1988       2778      432      412      361      $2,840,223      0.281
1987      2232      264      298      312      $1,961,635      0.239
1986       1213      124      133      123      $1,034,982      0.197
1985       1053      103      103      122      $892,466         0.191
1984      1214      131      138      136      $1,543,215      0.208
1983       1538      168      209      172      $3,401,713     0.222
1982      1705      255      230      215      $2,804,208      0.267
1981       1374      209      166      166      $1,974,587     0.260
1980      1567      251      223      179      $1,792,219     0.277
1979      1052      144      145      114      $888,903         0.250
1978      1034      132      132      145      $1,001,548      0.245
1977      636        93        90         72      $363,852         0.263
Total                   11,073                       $105,318,762