Faces of the Sport

Chapter Seven, a son of Windsong’s Legacy, is the current top trotting stallion in North America.  A winner of $1,954,966 during his racing career, he began his stallion career at Blue Chip Farms in Wallkill, NY in 2013: 

• He is the sire of 13 World Champions and reigns as the leading money winning trotting sire in 2025 in all categories. 
• His freshman and sophomore trotters have dominated the New York Sire Stakes; and he is the sire of all four of the NY trotting champions in 2025. 
• His offspring have amassed nearly $89 million in earnings, averaging over $8 million in earnings per crop. 

The success of Chapter Seven and his offspring represent the opportunities, racing income, and breeders’ awards available in New York, and demonstrates that New York State is a great place to breed and race.

Joseph Tosies is among the most renowned caretakers in the harness racing industry. He is known for his hands-on expertise, compassion, and dedicated care and love for his horses, many of which race at New York’s elite racetracks. At the stable, Joseph gives his undivided attention to all horses, ensuring they are mentally and physically ready to race.

35 years ago, Joseph fell in love with the harness racing industry while he helped his brother care for his horses. After working with trainer John McDermott for more than a decade, he took the role of caretaker at Ron Burke’s stable, the leading trainer in the U.S. who broke the record for trainer earnings in a single season. Joseph was awarded the United States Harness Writers Association’s 2025 Fair Island Farm Caretaker of the Year, honoring his commitment to the industry and representing the importance of caretakers in harness racing. Under Joseph’s extraordinary care, Lexus Kody earned $1.3 million in 2025 and was named Older Male Trotter of the Year after winning, among other major stakes races, New York’s premier racing event, the 2025 MGM Yonkers International Trot.

“New York does a really good job supporting us and looking out for the grooms through programs that offer retirement and employment benefits. Keeping these tracks alive is a big deal. I’m so proud of my horses and am honored to be doing what I love.”

– Joseph Tosies

Jordan Stratton grew up on a 30-acre farm in Ottawa, Ohio and is widely recognized as a leading standardbred catch driver. By the age of 14, Stratton was taking care of horses on a full-time basis with his father and horseman David Stratton. Captivated by the sport, Stratton began driving just four years later. At 21, he became the youngest driver to win a driving title at Monticello Raceway and in 2009 he became the second driver in history to reach 1,000 wins before the age of 22. Stratton received the Dan Patch Rising Star Award for the U.S. Harness Writers Association and is now one of the top young catch drivers in the sport. Today, Stratton has won over 5,000 races, participating in races at all seven harness racetracks in New York State.

“My brother Cory and I have been jogging and training our whole lives. That was the only (career) track in life. As much as they say don’t follow in my footsteps, go to college, do something else, it’s hard when you get the harness racing bug early on.”

– Jordan Stratton

Betty is the Executive Director of Purple Haze Standardbred Adoption Program (PHSAP), a standardbred adoption program located on a 105-acre farm in Oxford, NY, and the Executive Director of the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State. With a goal of rehoming and retraining, Betty and Purple Haze provide horses with opportunities to find safe forever homes and second careers filled with purpose, security, and happiness.

Driven by a passion for working outdoors, Betty was first introduced to the horseracing industry when she started working at a thoroughbred farm. Her dedication to horses soon led her to work at a standardbred breeding farm, where she gained a deeper understanding of equine care and management. Today, she dedicates her time to helping standardbreds transition to a life after racing and placing them into safe, loving homes.

Purple Haze’s property includes two large barns and spacious indoor and outdoor arenas, offering standardbred horses open green spaces, feed and hay, and training. Purple Haze’s expansive facilities and attentive care create a safe environment for standardbreds as they begin the next chapter of their lives. At Purple Haze, Betty oversees the program’s daily operations and collaborates with new adopters throughout the country.

“I love that New York’s harness racing community truly feels like one big family. No matter who you are, people show up for one another, even in the toughest moments. The community is filled with support, compassion, and a united dedication to our horses.”

– Betty Holt

Scott DiDomenico is a respected harness racing trainer who has worked with standardbreds for over 25 years. Scott’s priority is the health, well-being, and happiness of the horses under his care. With Scott’s individualized training routines and attentive care, the horses at his stable are able to showcase impressive physical improvement and strong healthy mentalities, compete at high levels, and succeed in New York’s elite racing activity. Horses under his care have competed across all of New York’s harness tracks, while also achieving success on tracks in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ohio, and Kentucky.

Originally from Chicago, Scott was raised around his father’s horses and grew up going to stables on the weekends, shaping his early passion and fascination for horses. Scott now trains at Triple D Stables – a well-kept and spacious standardbred stable that houses and provides training services to 75 standardbred horses.

“I’ve been around horses my whole life, and I can’t imagine doing anything else. Being in the barn, watching the horses progress, seeing them happy and healthy, and going to the races – that’s what drives me every day.”

– Scott DiDomenico

Jean Brown-Clearwater is a General Manager at Blue Chip Farms, where she helps manage the farm and run the operations of the 700-acre farm. She provides pedigree analysis and administers the farm’s stallion breeding operations and broodmare logistics. She also helps organize Blue Chip’s participation in elite yearling auctions, where top standardbred offspring of premier stallions and mares are presented. A love for training horses and the sport of racing runs deep in Jean’s family – Jean moved to Blue Chip Farms with her family as a child when her father was hired to run the farm. After she developed expertise in equine pedigree at the New York State-Bred Registry, Jean returned to Blue Chip, and she has helped to deliver on Blue Chip’s commitment to grow and advance the standardbred racehorse industry over her 35-year tenure.  

“What I love about the standardbred industry is how connected, generational, and family-like it is. Generations of people come together over their passion and aptitude for horses. It has been so rewarding for me to build relationships with standardbred owners and our expert partners from other farms, the veterinary community, and our broad network of trusted suppliers across the state who love standardbreds and care for the future of the harness racing sport as much as we do here at Blue Chip.”

– Jean Brown-Clearwater

Yinson Quezada is a highly trusted standardbred shipper who has been providing safe and dependable equine transportation services throughout New York State and across the country for 20 years. Yinson works with approximately 20-25 leading trainers in the industry, who rely on him to move their athletes safely from the barn and to the track.

Yinson was introduced to the harness racing community when he started helping out at a standardbred barn – caring for and grooming the horses, cleaning stalls, and learning daily routines that keep horses healthy. Within a year, Yinson recognized a growing need for reliable equine transportation services that prioritized safety, care, and efficiency. Today, Yinson operates a few trucks and trailers, allowing him to serve trainers at all seven of New York’s tracks, and owns and trains his own horses. Yinson also regularly makes long-distance trips to racetracks in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky, and Illinois.

“I knew I had to take on the responsibility of transporting trainers’ horses safely and reliably. This sport supports our communities, families, and livelihoods – and 21 years later, I’m grateful to still be here doing what I love and helping the community in every way that I can.”

– Yinson Quezada

For Jarett Kelley, the work he does at Gaitway Farms isn’t about the clock – it’s about doing the job right for every horse he touches. A farrier with more than three decades of experience has earned him the nickname Hoofmaster. Specializing in corrective shoeing, Jarett is known for tackling some of the most challenging hoof issues in the industry. From rebuilding severely damaged hooves to repairing quarter cracks with fiberglass and acrylic, he designs and hand-crafts custom metal shoes tailored to each horse’s individual needs. His attention to detail and exacting technique plays a critical role in protecting the health, soundness, and performance of the horses’ shoes. As a result, he has been trusted by many of harness racing’s top trainers.

As a teenager, Jarett followed in his father’s footsteps, helping care for the family’s horses and learning the fundamentals of equine shoemaking. That early exposure sparked a lifelong passion, one that would grow into a career defined by hard work, adaptability, and love for the horses. That same tradition and knowledge are now being passed on to the next generation. Jarett’s oldest son, Adam, worked alongside him for years, learning the craft before going on to shoe horses on his own. Following closely behind is his son Gavin, who has been working with Jarett for nearly two years. Watching his sons develop an understanding of the work – and the responsibility that comes with it – has become one of the most meaningful parts of Kelley’s career.

Today, most of the standardbreds Jarett and his son work with compete regularly at Yonkers Raceway, as well as at tracks throughout New York State and across the country. Over the years, he has experienced nearly every side of the harness racing industry – caring for, owning, and training horses, and even driving in almost 1,000 races. That depth of experience gives him a unique perspective when evaluating each horse’s needs, allowing him to tailor his work not only to their physical condition, but also to their job on the track. For Jarett, harness racing is more than a profession – it’s a way of life.

“Harness racing isn’t just my career – it’s a family tradition. From a young age, my favorite part has always been helping the horses. I love focusing on the small details that can make a big difference in their success on the track. Every horse has its own unique personality, and when they win, you can see the love for the job and excitement in them.”

– Jarett Kelley