by Tim Bojarski, president, Upstate New York Chapter USHWA

Akron, NY — The Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association is proud to announce that trainer/driver Delbert Manges and breeder Pat Menchi have been chosen to go into their Hall of Fame.

The presentation of the Excelsior Crystal trophy to members of their families will take place trackside at Buffalo Raceway on Friday (June 28).

Del Manges

Del Manges was one of the top trainer-drivers on the Buffalo Raceway-Batavia Downs circuit for more than 25 years. Born in Hutchinson, Kan., in 1920, he began working with trotters while in his teens. His early career found him moving eastward from his home to Indiana, then Ohio and finally Upstate New York. During the 1960s and 1970s, he became one of the leading reinsmen there and a popular catch driver for locals as well as top stables like the Armstrong Brothers, Joe O’Brien and John Simpson.

He first received national attention when he scored 79 wins in 1959, to rank 14th in North America that year. He exceeded $1 million in purses by 1967 and was averaging more than 600 starts a season. During the 1960s his UDR was always at or near the .300 level and he won multiple driving crowns at both Buffalo and Batavia during his tenure at those tracks. His career hit a pinnacle when he drove Rain Water in the 1964 Hambletonian.

Royal Deluxe (2:00.2, $48,532), a top campaigner in the 1950s, was said to be his favorite horse. Other top pacers he raced included the hard hitting Open campaigner Andios (2:02.3h, $71,112), Avalon Junior (2:00.2, $46,492) and Lieutenant Frisco (2:02.4h, $47,221).

In 1978, Manges returned to his winter home in Harrington and moved his stable to Delaware year-round. From there he developed several top end race horses that competed on the Delaware Valley circuit. These horses included Ad Hoc (1:58.1f, $138,581), World Cup (1:54.4, $69,340), Stargell Lobell (1:55.3, $150,395) and World Exclusive (1:59.4, $78,220).

Manges drove his last winner, a trotter named Count Every Star (1:59.4q, $41,087), at Brandywine Raceway in 1987. He retired from driving with 1,462 wins and more than $1.8 million in earnings. He did, however, continue to train a small stable for 11 years after he stopped driving.

Over the years, a number of notable horsemen got their start or worked under Manges including Ken McNutt, Jack Boring, Lester Hopkins, Reig Outten, Jim Webb, John Moffett and Ron Teague.

Manges and his wife of 51 years, Dorothy, had one daughter, Midge, and five sons. Dean, Randy, Brian, Gene and Larry were all involved in the sport either part or full time.

Del Manges died on July 28, 1999, from an aneurysm.

Pat Menchi

Pat Menchi was born in Quincy, Mass., in 1921 and his interest in harness racing was kindled as a child when his father took him to watch the trotters at Old Orchard Beach, Maine. After serving in the navy during World War II, he settled in Buffalo, N.Y. and his racing career started almost immediately.

Although Menchi never trained or drove a Standardbred, his keen acumen for breeding was unparalleled in the history of Western New York racing and his reputation for buying and breeding outstanding yearlings was widely known.

Two very successful early stars he campaigned were trotters Lucky Laird (2:04.1, $76,973) and Sam Kennedy (2:05.2, $67,634). But the cornerstone of his operation was a $2,700 trotting filly he purchased at the Delaware sale named Dotty Diller (2:01.3, $138,343). Not only was she an outstanding race horse, she also proved to be a phenomenal maternal progenitor. From seven breedings, she produced six with a race mark including stakes winners Grant’s Memory (2:00.1, $240,880), Lady Bonefish (2:02.3h, $113,495) and Noble Grant (2:01.3q, $107,497).

When their racing careers were finished, Menchi put these mares in the breeding shed, too. And the results he achieved were even greater the second time.

Noble Grant foaled New Legend (1:57.2, $227,168) and Royally Noble (1:57.4, $136,614). Lady Bonefish threw Lila Lobell (1:55.4, $278,037), double-gaited star Fiery Flak (1:56, $277,096; p,2:00.2, $16,195), Lady Sport (1:56.3, $160,603) and Dame Catherine (1:57, $114,490).

As an owner, Menchi helped shape the careers of many young horsemen. Hall of Famer Clint Galbraith, Phil Logan, Paul Chambers and Dick Wilcox all can trace some of their career beginnings to their associations with Menchi.

Menchi and his wife, Betti, operated Pine Tree Farms in East Aurora, N.Y., where they bred and raised horses for their principal partners that included Menchi’s sister, Theodora Brown, and Leon and Joseph Zoladz.

Menchi was also active in fund-raising activities for the Multiple Sclerosis Association. He headed up the annual “Race Against MS” nights sponsored by Harness Horsemen International at the local tracks for 13 years.

Pat Menchi died at the age of 74 on Feb. 26, 1996, after a long illness.

Upstate New York USHWA will announce several more inductees later this year that will go into the Hall representing Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs and Batavia Downs. You can read more about all those already inducted by going to www.upstatenyushwa.com. Portraits of each member are on permanent display in the actual Hall that is located at Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y.