The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association elected Deanna Manfredi as the first woman president of the association in its seventy-five year history. A third generation horsewoman, she bred and raced thoroughbreds for the past twenty years and was a member of the P.H.B.A. board of directors since 2016. A winner in 2005 of the reality T.V. show, American Dream Derby, Manfredi won eight thoroughbred horses and $250,000 to start her “dream” stable.
Photo Credit to Deanna Manfredi
American Dream Derby was a horse racing reality show produced by GSN where twelve contestants competed to win eight race horses stabled in California. “In 2003, I had just bought my farm, Ascoli Piceno, in Kennett Square, PA. It was run down, and I was fixing it up to start my breeding farm. The reality show started in 2004 in California, and it was great timing for me because it kick-started my plan. I shipped the racehorses that I won to the east and one of the mares, Sharp as a Fox, became a broodmare and is the dam of two of my race horses, stakes placed Lacco Ameno and winner Cuenca,” Manfredi said.
A licensed psychologist and consultant to pharmaceutical and health care industries, Manfredi received her B.A. from Franklin & Marshall College and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton University. She owns Manfredi Consulting. An excellent communicator and articulate spokesperson, Manfredi recently traveled to Harrisburg with members of the P.H.B. A. to help secure funding for Pennsylvania’s horse racing and breeding programs. “We spoke to senators about how horse racing benefits Pennsylvania’s economy through job creation, small business opportunities, and farming. As president of the P.H.B.A., one of my priorities is to secure funding and explore alternative funding opportunities for the racing industry in the state. Another priority is to ensure the integrity of the sport by supporting research at New Bolton Center. New Bolton does ground-breaking research to develop new methods of detecting illegal drugs in race horses. They are also involved in equine genetic research and testing,” Manfredi explained.
The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1948 and is responsible for the official registration, marketing, and promotion of Pennsylvania -breds. According to Brian Sanfratello, executive secretary of the P.H.B.A., “Deanna Manfredi represents the organization in Harrisburg to promote our horse breeding program. She’s the first woman elected, and she succeeds Greg Newell as president,” he said.
Photo Credit to Deanna Manfredi
“I grew up around horses. My grandfather had race horses, and my father trained and bred race horses in Chester County. He was in the mushroom business, and when racing came to Pennsylvania, and Penn National opened, he got a trainer’s license right away. I spent lots of time around Penn National when I was a kid,” said Manfredi. Owner and breeder of stakes winner, Crisper, the gelding was nominated to this year’s Alphabet Soup Handicap at Penn National which he won last year at Parx. “Unfortunately, he got hurt and had to be operated on, but hopefully, he’ll be back. He’s a Pennsylvania bred and is out of my stakes placed mare Je Suis Enchantee, and he won two stakes, the Alphabet Soup and the Summer Fun Stakes. He’s recuperating at my farm now,” Manfredi said.
“Another priority of the P.H.B.A. is aftercare and finding second careers for race horses after their racing days are over. We helped place horses as show horses, dressage horses, trail horses, and horses for handicapped riding. Our main concern is for the welfare of the horse before, during, and after their racing careers. I have been around breeding and racing in Pennsylvania for a long time, and I’m dedicated to improving the scientific knowledge of equine genetics, ensuring the safety and integrity of the sport, and finding added alternative funding for breeding and horse racing,” Manfredi said
