Alberto Pacheco is one of the new faces in the bike at Cal Expo, as the 24-year-old attempts to make his mark in the local driving colony.
Pacheco has pedigree connections to the sport, as his father Juan is an owner and his uncle Lino is one the top conditioners on the grounds. He arrived here from Mexico six years ago and was immediately mesmerized by the trotters and pacers.
“In Mexico I had worked with quarter horses, but this was the first time I saw harness racing and I knew this is where I wanted to be,” Alberto explained. “The way these horses move so smoothly and the chance to drive them got me hooked right away.”
Pacheco spent four years under the watchful eye of Lou Pena, while the last two have seen him working for Jim Wilkinson Jr.
“Both of them have been great teachers. I learned quite a bit with Lou Pena, and now Jim Wilkinson is showing me even more.
“I also got a lot of help from Matias Ruiz and Gretchen Smith, who helped me with getting horses for my qualifying drives, and Scott Cisco and Rich Wojcio have been giving me plenty of tips about what to do and what not to do out there. They also made sure I had the right equipment for driving in the rain.”
Pacheco’s normal day at the Wilkinson shedrow finds him arriving around 6:30, as he tends to the five horses under his care while making sure each one does their appointed rounds on the racetrack. He is also gaining valuable experience helping train the babies with Wilkinson.
“It’s a great education, and you keep learning every day,” Alberto noted. “My goal is to eventually get my own barn and be driver and trainer. I’d like to have it all.”
