Monticello Raceway will postpone its regularly scheduled Monday, Nov. 9 racing card in honour of the late John Manzi and to accommodate track staff and horsemen that wish to attend the longtime publicity man’s funeral arrangements.
Manzi passed away peacefully on Oct. 28 at home with his family by his side.
“It was with great sadness that we learned of John Manzi’s passing,” Shawn Wiles, Monticello Raceway's general manager. “To allow our staff and horsemen to attend his upcoming funeral, we felt the right thing to do was to adjust our schedule in honour of the public relations guru.”
The postponed race date will be re-scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13, pending regulatory approval.
Manzi, a member of the U.S. Communicators Hall of Fame since 2006, held the position of public relations manager at the Mighty M for more than three decades. Not only was he a mentor to many harness racing publicists and writers alike, he was the driving force behind decades of fundraising on behalf of Goshen Historic Track and the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame.
Funeral services will be held at the Church of Saint Peter, 10 Liberty Street, Monticello, New York 12701, on Monday, Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. sharp.
In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s name may be made to the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, 240 Main Street, Goshen, New York 10924, at harnessmuseum.com/donations, or to Goshen Historic Track, 44 Park Place, Goshen, New York 10924.
A celebration of John’s life will be held at the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, 240 Main Street, Goshen, New York 10924, on Nov. 9 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. All are welcome.
(With files from Monticello Raceway)