PHOTOS BY JERRY WOLKOWITZ staff Above, the moving gate speeds away as the fourth qualifying race gets underway at Freehold Raceway on Friday. At left, driver Benjamin C. Stafford takes Gamble for a pre-race run before the start of the third qualifying race.

Cat Manzi has lost none of his hunger to win. That’s not good news to any harness driver who is planning on supplanting him as the leading reinsman at Freehold Raceway.

Manzi, who lives in Freehold, will be the defending driving champion at historic Freehold Raceway when the track reopens for the 2004-05 meet today.

Manzi being the defending champion is nothing new. After all, he has won 16 driving titles at Freehold during a career that has taken him to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame and, more than 10,000 career wins. He won Freehold’s 2003-04 meet, that concluded Memorial Day weekend, with 361 wins. Jeff Gregory was a distant second to Manzi with 244, with Jim Morrill Jr., third (175). During that meet, Manzi joined Herve Filion and Walter Case Jr. as the only drivers with 10,000 career wins.

Manzi said he will take the same determined approach to this meeting as he has everyone before.

"I go into the meet thinking I’m going to be the leading driver," said Manzi. "I’m not going to give it up. They’re [other drivers] are going to have to beat me."

"I’m proud of what I’ve done and what I do," he added. "I take pride in winning."

He is the most proud, he said, of his longevity, the fact that he has been able to win consistently over a long period of time. He goes into every meet knowing that he is the target of every veteran and up-and-coming driver, yet continues to hold them off.

It’s not just his talent and pride that keeps Manzi on top. He knows that a driver has to be mentally and physically fit to win a yearlong marathon.

"I keep myself fit by jogging and riding a bike," he said. "It’s important to stay in some kind of shape.

"The hardest part is keeping yourself focused," he added. "It’s a tough job, but so is everybody’s."

Manzi has remained busy, driving evenings at the Meadowlands while Freehold has been closed. Having his days off has been like a vacation for Manzi and kept him from getting mentally stale. It’s allowed him to recharge his batteries for the upcoming season.

"It’s a nice break for me," he pointed out. "I’ve had my days off and work at night. When Freehold reopens I’ll be working during the day and working at night less."

Freehold will always be home for the local driver, who has won two Triple Crown races in his career, the Cane Pace (1996 with Scoot To Power) and the Yonkers Trot (1994 with Bullville Victory).

"I always like racing at Freehold," said Manzi. "It’s home to me. I find it comfortable."

Carl Cito Jr., who won his first trainer’s title at Freehold last year, will be looking for a second straight title. He saddled up 52 winners, edging Dan Sheddan, who had 48 winners. It was a three-way race for the trainer’s crown as Ken Rucker was third with 47 wins.

Freehold will open with a 10-race card this afternoon at 12:30, featuring the $45,500 estimated New Jersey Sire Stakes race for 2-year-old colt pacers. Anyone who purchases a Freehold Raceway program will receive free sunglasses.

Freehold will race Tuesday through Saturday through October.

The Cane Pace, the first leg of Pacing’s Triple Crown, highlight’s this year’s meet. This year will be celebrating its golden anniversary with the 50th running of the event for 3-year-old pacers, which has been coming to Freehold since 1998. This year’s race will be held on Sept. 6 and will carry a $350,000 estimated purse. If elimination races are needed, they will be held Aug. 28.

Last year, No Pan Intended won the Cane Pace and came back to win the James B. Dancer Memorial at Freehold in November. That was after No Pan Intended became the 10th pacer to win the Triple Crown by capturing the Little Brown Jug and Messenger Stakes (the other two legs of the Crown) after his win in the Cane. He was the 2003 Harness Horse of the Year.

The James B. Dancer Memorial with a $275,000 purse, will be held Nov. 20. This is the 29th year for the Dancer Memorial, named for the patriarch of New Egypt’s famed harness racing family that includes Hall of Famer Stanley Dancer.

Other major stakes races on the schedule are: the $90,000 Helen Smith Trot, Aug. 20; the $125,000 Molly Pitcher Pace, Aug. 21; the $150,000 Shady Daisy Pace, Aug. 21; the $150,000 Battle of Freehold, Sept. 6; the $90,000 Harold Dancer Trot, Sept. 9; the $90,000 Harold Dancer Trot, Sept. 17; the $80,000 Harold Dancer Filly Division Trot, Sept. 21; the $150,000 Lou Babic Pace, Sept. 25; the $70,000 Lou Babic Fill Pace, Sept. 25; the $90,000 New Jersey Futurity, Oct. 21; and the $100,000 Charles Smith Trot, Oct. 22.

In addition there will be New Jersey Sire Stakes finals with purses ranging from $10,000 to $75,000.