by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal Expo Harness

Sacramento, CA — After an absence of some 14 years, Ron Malette has returned to California from his native Canada and there is no need to ask him if he enjoys the warmer temperatures.

“It just got to the point where I couldn’t take the cold and snow anymore,” said Malette, who will celebrate his 70th birthday next month. “My farm is for sale up there and I plan to stay here for the meet and then maybe go to Minnesota for the summer.”

Ron originally came to California in 1981, first as a harness driver and trainer and then as a Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse conditioner before returning to Standardbreds, which was his first love.

“The thing I didn’t like about Quarters and Thoroughbreds was the fact that I couldn’t ride in my races, so I came back to the harness,” he explained. “In 2001 I decided to go back to Canada and had Ontario Sire Stakes horses at tracks like Windsor and London.”

Malette was exposed to harness racing at an early age as his father raced trotters and pacers at the Canadian fairs on the weekends, and by 9 Ron was getting hands on experience that eventually led him to rodeo riding in his early 20s before diving full time into the sulky.

“My first horse was named Captain Kent and he would be one of my favorites, along with a mare named Marie Lobell who was second in a stakes at the Meadowlands and set a track record at Fairmount Park.”

Malette, who earlier this year competed at Batavia, Buffalo and Vernon Downs before coming to Cal Expo last month, currently has only one horse in the barn, an 8-year-old Camluck pacer answering to Toughest Of All.

“Once I sell the farm, I plan to get some more,” he related. “In the meantime, I’m going to be helping some people with shoeing, which I’ve been doing for about 50 years. It’s really important to have the right balance when it comes to the shoes with these horses.”

Racing is now being conducted on Saturday and Sunday nights under the Wager and Wager LLC banner and a 12-race card is on tap Saturday with a first post of 6:10 p.m. (PST). There are 10 races on Sunday with first post at 5:10 p.m.