Marissa Kleinsasser is one of the new faces at Cal Expo this season, and the Canadian horsewoman won’t soon forget the Sacramento facility, as it was at the California oval where she recorded the first training victory of her career.

Last month, on December 7, one of Kleinsasser’s pupils, Camita B And E, was sent postward at odds of 39-1. The then-six-year-old pacer rode live cover to the lane for driver Nathan Sobey and won going away by a length and a half. Camita B And E, who is a bay gelding that races for Kleinsasser and Marlys Muller, has added another victory in the interim.

While it may have been first win for Marissa on her own, the 23-year-old native of Alberta has made plenty of winner’s circle appearances.

“I’m fourth-generation in the game, and I guess you could say I knew I wanted to be involved from the time I was old enough to walk and talk,” said Kleinsasser, who explained that she has worked for uncle, Glenn Lutz, for the last 10 years.

Kleinsasser was encouraged to come down and give California a try by several of her co-workers in the Alberta industry.

“I absolutely love this mile track, especially the surface, and obviously the weather is much nicer than home right now,” said Kleinsasser. “Add to that the people are the nicest I’ve ever been around and then winning my first race, it’s been great so far.”

Kleinsasser plans to stay at Cal Expo until April and then will return to Alberta, where she’s looking forward to racing at the new mile track in Edmonton later in the year.

(With files from Cal Expo)