Wisconsin native Dean Magee will be inducted into the Wisconsin Harness Racing Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 28 during the Wisconsin Harness Horse Association annual banquet.

Magee got his start in Wisconsin working for the great Wisconsin Hall of Famers Hugh and Elwood Magee. Dean worked hand and hand, especially with Hugh, learning the harness racing trade and developing his horsemanship skills. His skills would not only be used as a trainer, but also as a driver. While being a groom and trainer apprentice, he received his driver’s license and had his very first drive in the Badger State in Manitowoc in 1981. Also, George ‘Woody’ Woodbridge put Dean up on Hurricane Belle, and he won his first race with her in Manitowoc in the early 1980s and then went on to win with her at Quad City Downs.

Not many Wisconsin horsemen get the opportunity to make it big, but Dean set off to have his try. He soon moved to Quad City Downs as a teenager to begin grooming for his older brother, Dave (also Hall of Fame inductee). Dean embarked on his own driving career and his driving style captured three consecutive driving titles at Quad City Downs in the 1980s. Soon thereafter he headed to the Windy City to try his luck and was met with great success.

Magee has been driving all over the country and even in Canada and was given the opportunity to be the regular pilot of Yankee Cruiser who has given him his biggest wins to date.

He has more than $28 million in purse earnings and more than 4,500 wins to his credit. He has won 14 races with purses of more than $100,000. Magee has driven in top races such as the Breeders Crown, Meadowlands Pace, and North America Cup.

Magee has never forgotten his Wisconsin roots. During his tenure at Quad City Downs and the Chicagoland racetracks, he continued to be a steady driver for a slew of Wisconsin stables. This proves that even though he moved on to the pari-mutuel setting, he still kept his Wisconsin family at heart.

He most recently kept us in mind by frequenting the Minnesota track Running Aces and making some cameo driving appearances in Wisconsin in 2007 and 2011.

The event is held annually at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Madison, Wis., and everyone is welcome to join. Dinner tickets are $22.50 per person and can be obtained by contacting Gabe Wand (608-574-5468 or [email protected]) or by mailing payment to WHHA Secretary Jeanne Marquis, 6651 Hyslop Rd. Dane, WI 53529.

Also, the WHHA has a room rate of $77/per night (hot breakfast buffet included) and you can book rooms by contacting the hotel directly at 608-244-2481.

(Wisconsin Harness Horse Association)