Mazza honored with Buddy Raines Award

John Mazza joins an illustrious honor roll (Equi-Photo) John Mazza, who has been training horses at Monmouth Park for nearly 50 years, was presented with the 2012 Virgil “Buddy” Raines Distinguished Achievement Award at Monmouth Park on Sunday. Mazza joined a notable roster of past recipients whose conduct has been exemplary for professionalism, integrity and service to Thoroughbred racing. “I am honored and very proud to receive this award,” said Mazza, who has trained horses for Holly Crest Farm and other stables in New Jersey for 46 years. “It is very meaningful to me.” Mazza, who was honored in winner’s circle celebration after the 5TH race, won the inaugural Thoroughbred race at the Meadowlands with Play the Palace in 1977 and over the decades he has trained more than 37 stakes winners.

Among them are 1988 Grade 2 Sorority Stakes winner Divine Answer and the
Great Navigator, who broke his maiden at Monmouth Park in 1992 and went on to
win the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga. Capture the Gold was the star of his
barn in 1997, taking stakes races at Monmouth and the Meadowlands that season.
Mazza also saddled Carrots Only to two victories in the Jersey Breeders’
Handicap (2005 and 2007) as well as the 2006 Garden State Handicap.

“John personifies what the Raines Award is all about,” said Robert J. Kulina,
president of Darby Development LLC, which operates Monmouth Park Racetrack. “For
decades he has provided unwavering support for New Jersey racing and it’s only
fitting that he’s honored with this prestigious acknowledgement of his service
and dedication.”

The late Buddy Raines, for whom the award is named, was one of racing’s most
venerable figures and was a Monmouth Park regular prior to his retirement.
Raines trained horses for 65 years and won the 1962 Preakness Stakes with Greek
Money.

The past recipients of the prestigious Raines Award are: 1996 – J. Williard
Thompson; 1997 – Danny Perlsweig; 1998 – Warren A. “Jimmy” Croll; 1999 – 
Joseph Pierce Jr.; 2000 – Peter Shannon; 2001 – Dennis Drazin; 2002 – Sam
Fieramosca; 2003 – Charles and Marianne Hesse; 2004 – Janet Laszlo; 2005 –
Richard Malouf; 2006 – John Forbes; 2007 – Ben Perkins Sr.; 2008 – Gerald and
Carolyn Sleeter; 2009 – Joel Kligman; 2010 – John Tamarro III; and 2011 – Frank
Costa.

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