Chris Lefebvre is a new face on the scene, as the soon-to-be 31-year-old native of Maine has moved his base to California and plans to make this his new home.
 
“My wife’s job was relocated close by and we’re here to stay,” Lefebvre related.
 
Our subject is a third-generation harness horseman, with his father Lonnie still plying the trade back in Ohio.
 
“I knew from the very start I wanted to be a harness driver and trainer,” Chris explained. “I won my first race with the very first horse I ever owned when I was 18 at Scarborough Downs.”
 
When it comes to favorite performers, he is quick to bring up a pacer named Bannach.
 
“He’s was just a hard-knocking horse, and at one time he held the record for a $2,000 claimer on a five-eighths track when he won in 1:55 flat.”
 
With the exception of a few five-eighths ovals, Lefebvre has spent the majority of his 12 years in the sulky competing over half-mile tracks and admits he’s had to make an adjustment for this once-around journey at Cal-Expo.
 
“There is usually so much movement when you’re driving on a half-mile track, but here, there tends to be a lot less and you need to have more patience.  It’s something I’m learning.”  Chris is hoping to pick up momentum as a catch-driver while also adding some new faces to the shedrow.
 
Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Thursday (June 10) and continues through Saturday (June 12).  Post-time on Thursday is at 6:10 p.m. (PDT) & on Friday (June 11) at 6:20 p.m.  Post-time on Saturday is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.  On Thursday night, Cal-Expo offers a complete Lasagna dinner, which includes salad and bread, for just $3.00.