by Matthew Lomon

For trainer Ashley Duford of the heralded Duford racing family, the decision to join the likes of her namesakes wasn’t so cut-and-dry at first.

“I wrote my trainer’s test in January 2007 because I had owned a little trotting gelding named No Delusions,” said Ashley of the bay gelding who holds the honor of being the first horse she had ever owned, trained, and jogged.

“A family friend [trainer Mike Hamlin] was training him at the time while I was in school. I never really had any intentions to write my trainer’s [exam], but after being encouraged, I finally took the steps that were needed to get me set up.”

Ashley’s choice to not only embrace but build upon her family’s legacy in Ontario standardbred racing has since proven to be a more than worthwhile endeavor.

Coming off a career year in 2023, which saw Ashley reach a single-season high earnings total of $170,406, the fourth-generation horseperson reflected on the memorable journey that traces back to her early childhood.

It was then where she learned some of the game’s basics from her grandfather Wilfred Duford, a former driver who carved out a lengthy career across the Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Ontario harness racing circuits.

“Wilf,” as he was affectionately known, died in 2006.

“I remember being maybe 4 years old and I would sit in the trunk and help my grandpa roll bandages,” Ashley said.

“My sister Hannah and I were always at the track on weekends. I was much younger, so I was given the little, easy jobs, where she had to clean stalls.”

While stall-cleaning duty would eventually catch up with Ashley, the Dresden, ON-based conditioner still found plenty of time to hone her equine coaching skills.

Under the tutelage of her father, driver/trainer Dennis Duford, who’s accumulated over 1,650 wins during his still active 40-year career, and uncles Rodney and Jerry Duford, who together boast a combined 3,456 driving/training wins and counting, Ashley effectively translated her family’s teachings into her first win on May 15, 2011, at Dresden Raceway.

“It was with one of our own homebreds that I named Go Diego Go,” she said. “I was working at the slots at the time, bartending, and was working the morning shift. But I made sure to take my lunch break at the time of the race.

“I walked over to the grandstand and stood out at the fence, in the rain, to cheer on my boy.”

The youngest Duford’s trackside presence coupled with her father Dennis behind the reins inspired the Duford homebred to hold on just long enough for a neck’s decision.

The 2011 campaign was memorable for both Ashley and Go Diego Go, who scored his lone trip to the winner’s circle under Ashley’s schooling before retiring at the end of the season.

Across 27 career starts, the bay gelding with a big personality netted a 1-1-6 record.

Other standout performers under Ashley’s coaching umbrella include a trio of trotters in Rainbow Gold 255 58-35-36 for $306,839 in purse earnings, Savthelstdancforme (264 36-41-49, $227,423), and Eagle Scout (254 34-33-35, $182, 702).

As the years followed, so too did the accolades for Ashley.

The now veteran trainer is both a member of the $1-million lifetime earnings ($1.45 million) and 200 wins (202) clubs.

The latter achievement came in race six on Sunday (Nov. 5, 2023), at Leamington Raceway.

For Ashley, the milestone was special. With her father Dennis once again in the sulky behind another one of her most cherished talents, tally number 200 put it all in perspective.

“It was with my boy Jooner, who holds a lot of weight in my heart,” Ashley said. “It really means a lot to get a win, especially when you know you’re a little guy with average horses.”

While she doesn’t remember all the congratulatory texts or phone calls following the momentous occasion — perhaps a product savoring the moment before it passed — Ashley did remember a Facebook post from her partner Rob Doyle.

“He’s my number one fan,” she said.

Jooner being the horse to cross the finish line on that November day was the cherry on top for Ashley.

As she alluded to earlier, the two go way back.

“Right from a baby, he pulled some heart strings,” Ashley said.

“While breaking him, my dog ran up to him and ran off with the third line, and ‘Joon’ just went with it. He wasn’t spooked, he just kept going.”

That ability to remain unfazed has worked wonders for the 9-year-old bay gelding, who also happened to deliver win number 201 for Ashley on Dec. 12, 2023.

However, this time around, it was driver Tyler Borth steering the way to victory.

Through 228 total starts on the Ontario circuit, Jooner sports a 14-30-26 line.

Ashley was able to ride the momentum from last season’s late surge into her first bout on the 2024 calendar.

The team of Ashley, 7-year-old mare Playfull Elegance, and Borth delivered a clean one-length triumph in race 7 at Western Fair on Jan. 3.

Ashley, now 150 contests into the 2024 campaign (9-17-31 record), has come a long way from the kid who needed additional prompting to take out her training license.

She’s grateful for the support that brought her to where she is and where she hopes to go.

“I’d like to think I’m making my father and uncles proud to be the only one to carry on in the business,” she said.