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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.