How many harness drivers have been saluted by racetracks
where they competed upon their retirement from driving? Few if any, but Catello
(Cat) Manzi was. And not by one, but two, and the biggest ones in the game; The
Meadowlands last summer and Yonkers Raceway
on Saturday, Oct.18.
Both racetracks responded wonderfully by inviting Cat’s
family and his close friends to the salute at each, replete with dinner and
cocktails for the entire groups. And at each venue a portion of the facility
was set aside for “The Catman” and his well-wishers.
I, of course, went to both racetracks as did many from our
family. Track managements at both tracks really outdid themselves by offering
all the amenities without charge.
And at both venues the salute was highlighted with the
feature race on the card named in Cat’s honor and they had him sign autographs
on pictures they supplied for the attending fans in front of the winners circle
after the race presentation.
I know Mr. (Tim) Rooney at Yonkers and Mr. (Jeff) Gural at
the Meadowlands were appreciative of Cat’s tenure at both racing facilities.
And they put their money where their heart is. Take it from me, not many would
do that, but class always shows.
I’m not sure that many know
that Cat that was born in Monticello on June
27, 1950, eight years to the day before Monticello Raceway had its inaugural
program.
Cat grew up in nearby Liberty(NY) and comes from a long line
of harness horsemen. His dad Al, and uncles, John, Sr. and Dick, became
involved in the standardbred business in the spring of 1951 and the family’s
second generation, which included Cat, his brother, Steve, and cousins, Ed
Lohmeyer, Richard Manzi, Jr., and yours truly, all started racing at Monticello
Raceway.
Cat drove his first race at the Mighty M in the fall of 1968
and by 1972 he became the dominant force on the driving scene
there. On the warm summer night of August 21, 1973 he won six races in six
drives on one card, a world record at that time.
After dominating the driving colony at the Mighty M in the
mid-1970’s in the fall of 1976 Cat decided to try his luck at the new mile
track that opened in the swamplands in East Rutherford, NJ which became known
as The Meadowlands. And from its inception “the Big M” was, and continues
to be, the premier racing facility in North America.
Cat has been the regular pilot behind a number of record
setters, including 1992 Horse of the Year Artsplace; Beat The Wheel, Pacific
Fella and Hit Parade, to name a few.
Over the years “the Catman”, as he’s referred to by
his legion of fans, has also won driving titles at Liberty Bell Park, Garden
State Raceway, Yonkers Raceway and Freehold Raceway, where he has garnered an
incredible 18 driving titles.
He has also won a countless amount of “Classic Races”
including: the Yonkers Trot, three times; the World Trotting Derby, the Cane
Pace, the Driscoll Final; the Niatross; the Lady Maud; the Woodrow Wilson, the
Dexter Cup ; the Hambletonian Oaks; the Breeders Crown; the U.S Pacing
Championship, twice; the William Haughton Memorial, three Hudson Filly Trots,
the Sheppard Pace; and the $1.6 million North American Cup.
His career reached a pinnacle in 2002 when he was inducted
into Harness Racing’s Living Hall of Fame, the only Monticello native to
receive such honor.
For the record, Cat didn’t retire completely…. he retired
from driving but he still trains, currently for the Cancelliere Brothers. He
finished with outstanding career totals of 14,812 driving victories and purses
of $158,560,663.
