Turk Dawkins was a tire mechanic, he lumbered into the High Dive Bar and Grill wearing a pair of blue overalls with knee patches, and a troubled scowl. Henry Davidson knew in an instant his scheme was in trouble.

<< Faisant appel au meilleur d’eux-mêmes, Jean Béliveau, rappelait aux gens le meilleur qu’ils ont en eux. »

“By appealing to their best selves, he (Jean Béliveau) reminded people of the best that was in them.”

La nouvelle annonçant la retraite de John Manzi de son poste de chef des relations publiques à Monticello Raceway peut ne pas sembler extraordinaire. Aux yeux d’un amateur de courses moyen, le nom de John n’est probablement pas un nom très connu. Ce n’était pas un conducteur, ni un entraîneur ou un descripteur de courses. Et son legs ne s’est pas réalisé en piste, en tant que participant.

The news that John Manzi is retiring from his post as the head of public relations at Monticello Raceway may not seem earth shattering. To the average racing fan, John’s name is probably not a household name. He was not a driver, a trainer or a racecaller. And his legacy was not made on the racetrack, as a participant.

Sometimes things don’t go as planned. But it is how we persevere during troubled times that shows who we really are. This is the story of a determined racehorse and the people who loved him when things failed to go according to plan. Story by Ashley Mayotte

In December, John Manzi announced that he would be retiring from the racing business. You may or may not know his name, but if you’re a longtime fan of harness racing, you’ve probably heard of one of Manzi’s crazy promotions. Story by Debbie Little