Story: Chris Lomon
Her thoroughbred travels have taken her to nearly three-dozen racetracks, each of them unique in character and atmosphere. But for Ashley Mailloux (pictured above in the red cardigan), there is one thing they all have in common.
Admittedly, anything she picked out of her vast list of reasons as to why a day at the races is special would bring a smile to her face.
One in particular, though, is what always keeps Mailloux wanting more.
“The atmosphere of the racetrack is by far what I enjoy the most about horse racing,” said the 23-year-old. “Whether it’s the horsemen, staff, or fellow racegoers, I enjoy going to the races and seeing all the familiar faces. I’ve attended the races at almost 30 thoroughbred tracks and I’ve noticed a community at each one. Horse racing brings many people together. To get a horse to the races takes a slew of individuals and hard labour. And to keep a track operating takes another group of people. To see the culmination of all the work of everyone involved creates a wonderful atmosphere that I love.”
Love is an appropriate term when speaking of Mailloux’s affinity for racing, a passion formed well before her first day of kindergarten.
OJC Photo.
Growing up in the northern part of New York, Cheektowaga, specifically, weekend trips across the border with her parents were the norm.
Their destination? A racetrack that first opened its doors in 1897, the one about a 30-minute drive from their home.
“I fell in love with the sport from a very young age,” recalled Mailloux. “My first trip to the races was when I was just a toddler. On Saturdays and Sundays, my parents would take me to watch the races at Fort Erie Racetrack and I was fascinated by the horses and all the excitement. As time went on, my interest in the sport grew and so did the number of racetracks that I visited.”
Regardless of the venue, be it big or small, near or far, Mailloux always manages to feel right at home.
With the 2017 thoroughbred season starting to get in full gear at several spots across North America, she’ll be looking to add some more racetracks to her personal catalogue.
Mailloux will also capture many of the new adventures on film. Taking horse racing photos (she contributes to Ontario Racing) happens to be another one of her hobbies.
“I think what makes a day at the races special for me is being able to go with my dad,” she said. “He’s the one who first started taking me to the races and if it wasn’t for him, I’m not sure I would have gotten into thoroughbred racing and had the experiences that I’ve had at the racetrack. He taught me how to read the program, handicap the races and thanks to him, I’ve found something I’m truly passionate about. There is no one else that I would rather go to the races with than my father.”
Mailloux might even find a new horse to rival her all-time favourite, a Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner who holds the distinction of being the first New York-bred to capture the first jewel of the U.S. Triple Crown.
“There are so many horses that I have loved watching over the years and I always have a hard time answering the question of who is my favourite,” she admitted. “Narrowing down to one horse, I would say my personal favourite is Funny Cide. I was able to watch the last two wins of his career, the Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine and then the Wadsworth Memorial Handicap at Finger Lakes.
“Those two days at the track were beyond memorable. It was the first time that I really saw a horse have such a strong following of fans. So many people came to the races both times to see him race and when everyone cheered him on down the stretch, it was truly exhilarating.”
It’s a feeling Ashley Mailloux certainly knows well.
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Photo at the top of the page is courtesy of Emily K. Martin.
The picture was taken at Keeneland in April 2014, the day of the Toyota Bluegrass, with Ashley walking over with Coltimus Prime, eventual winner of the 2014 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie.
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