User:Trotterpacer

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Maxie Lee

October 5th , 1930 July 30, 2001

Maxie Lee was born on October 5, 1930 in Hoffman North Carolina to Ulysses and Jennie Jefferson Lee . Maxie worked on the family farm until he graduated from Berkley High School in Aberdeen North Carolina .After high school he joined the US Army and was stationed in England . After returning to the US he went to work in Pinehurst for the legendary trainer , Frank Safford . After working for Safford he later worked for Charlie Fitzpatrick as a second trainer and won his first race while working for Fitzpatrick with a pacer named, Sweet Song on his birthday on October 5, 1963.

In 1969 Lee went on to form his own stable in Pinehurst NC . In 1972 he had 2 top pacers , Black Gamecock who later went on to win the American Pacing Classic and Valley Ken who was named Deleware Valley Horse of the Year 1n 1972 . He also trained many top raceway horses at Brandywine Raceway , Liberty Bell Park , Yonkers Raceway , the Meadowlands and many tracks across the US . 

In 1989 he trained top class trotter Backstreet Guy who earned $987,000 and gave Lee the honor of becoming the first African American to have a horse in trottings premier event , the prestigious Hambletonian . Also in 1989 Lee had another top class trotter , Lodestar Lobell who raced in stake events in the US and Canada and finished 2nd in the Canadian Cup in 1989 . In 1990 Lee had another stellar horse , fast pacer Nuke Skywalker who finished 2nd in Pacings top event , the Little Brown Jug to World Record holder Precious Bunny . Each year an annual race is held in Pennsylvania at Chester Downs named the Maxie Lee Memorial in honor of this great horseman .Maxie has a son , Gregory Lee who is involved as an owner in the sport and carried own his dads legacy .