THIS IS AN EZ ONE. FUTURE GOVERNOR MARK FORD
Mark Ford is an American trainer of Standardbred horses in harness racing, best known for conditioning Gallo Blue Chip, the 2000 Harness Horse of the Year and the sport's then-richest pacer with career earnings of $4,260,959. A native of Lewisburg, West Virginia, Ford is a first-generation horseman who began his career working with prominent trainers Clint Galbraith and Ted Wing, quickly establishing himself as one of the sport's elite conditioners.
Ford achieved several historic milestones early in his career, becoming the youngest trainer to surpass career earnings of $10 million, $20 million, $30 million, $40 million, $50 million, and $60 million. He is the only trainer to win two million-dollar races before turning 30 and has secured training titles at major venues including Meadowlands Racetrack and Yonkers Raceway. Among his other notable horses are millionaires Whosurboy, Turnpike Token, Armbro Animate, Stonebridge Kisses, and Self Professed; top performer On The Attack; and double-gaited world champion Six Day War. Ford maintains one of North America's largest stables, competing regularly at key tracks such as Yonkers Raceway, Meadowlands Racetrack, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, and Woodbine Mohawk Park for prominent owners.
In 2008, Ford opened the Mark Ford Training Center in Middletown, New York, a state-of-the-art facility featuring expansive barns and a five-eighths-mile track, strategically located near top racing venues in the Northeast. He has also held leadership roles in the industry, including serving as president of the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey since 2015 and as a director for District 8 on the United States Trotting Association board, with his term expiring in 2027.
