Mark Patterson (Racing Analyst)

Mark Edward Patterson (born March 28, 1957) is a horse racing analyst, working at Mountaineer Race Track. He is notable for being included on a list of the top ten racing analysts in America.

Family History

Patterson is a direct descendant of Roger Williams on his father's side. On his mother's side, he is a direct descendant of a western outlaw whose name has been lost to history.

Early Life

Patterson was born on March 28, 1957, in Rochester Pennsylvania. His father, Charles Edward Patterson (born in May of 1921) worked as a steel worker, and had been in charge of the operation of a town in post World War 2 Japan. He had an older sister named Brenda Lee Patterson born in 1946 who later married a fledgling car mechanic named Bill Safreed (born in 1939) and moved with him to California where the couple still live, they later had three children. All of whom now have successful jobs in the computer industry.

Mark himself was born on March 28, 1957 in Rochester Pennsylvania. Later in 1963, a younger brother Gary was born.

Young Mark was taken to his first horse-race when he was six years of age. At the time it was called Waterford Park, when it was advertised on television, this name led to him thinking it was an amusemant park. His family had always been frequent patrons there, so Mark begged them to take him. Despite the warnings from his sister that he would not like it. He immediately found a passion in it and ever since has loved it. The Family even moved to Newell, West Virginia around 1968 to be closer to the Track.

Mark dropped out of school as a teenager and had several jobs. For a while he lived with his sister's family in California, working at a factory and visiting Race tracks on the West Coast. Patterson's father died in 1980 and he subsequently moved back to Newell.

Trivia

• In his spare time, Patterson enjoys jogging, watching the Food Network, and reading Stephen King. His favorite film is [[The Wizard of Oz (1939).

• Has been a weightlifter for AbOUT 20 years and can benchpress 270 pounds.

• His height is 6'2.