Jessica Greene’s life is all about horses, just like her mom
by Chris Lomon
Mom is the word when it comes to Jessica Greene’s love for all things standardbred.
She can still vividly recall the days she’d tag along with her mother, long-time harness racing groom Sheila Napier, always eager to spend time around the barn and the horses.
“It was so much fun,” Greene said. “I got to see the horses up-close when I was just a young kid. I would travel with my mom to different racetracks, which was a lot of fun, too.”
One of Greene’s earliest memories from those days involves a bay pacer who would go on to win 19 of 27 races and earn nearly $1 million in purses.
Big Bad John, a son of Western Hanover out of the Artsplace mare Trulyawork Of Art, caught her attention from the moment he stepped into the shedrow.
“When my mom was first working for [trainer] Ron Potter, she had Big Bad John – that’s one of the first big memories that comes to mind,” Greene said. “He was a great horse, and I remember watching him race.”
It was another 19-race winner, this one a trotter, who would be an eye-opener for Greene, the horse who inspired her to join the groom ranks.
“When my mom was working for [trainer] Chris Beaver and she had the horse Custom Cantab, I knew at some point I would follow in her footsteps,” Greene said. “I would go around to different racetracks with her and the horse – that was a lot of fun. Ever since then, I have been hooked. And I love it.”
Last summer, Greene started working for husband-and-wife team, trainer Teesha Symes and trainer/driver Beau Brown.
Along with tending to the horses in her care, Greene also has a front-row seat for a welcome equine education.
Whether it’s asking questions, listening to advice, or learning more about the industry, the young horsewoman from Ohio appreciates the position she is in.
“It has been great,” she said. “Teesha and Beau teach me a lot. They are always happy to share what they know about horses and I get to learn something new every day.”
Greene has also been handed the lines on occasion.
When she does jog a horse, there is one caveat in place before she takes a seat in the race bike.
“It is a lot of fun, but I will only sit behind the slow ones,” she said with a laugh. “When I get to jog, I feel so calm and any stress you may have in your life just goes away. It’s nice to be out there without any care in the world and have that connection to the horses.”
Despite the hard work, Greene said being a groom never loses its charm.
“I never get tired of jogging or being at the barn, just hearing how happy the horses are,” she said. “It can take a toll on your body. It’s demanding, but I push through for the horses. I never get tired of it.”
Over the years, Greene has formed deep bonds with several standardbreds, both trotters and pacers. One of her current favorites is Love That Smile, a 6-year-old daughter of Sportswriter who joined the Symes stable in June 2024.
“She is in my heart, for sure,” Greene said. “I just connected with her so fast. She tries hard every race.”
And then there is Never Say Uncle.
The son of Uncle Peter raced 123 times and won 19 races, to go along with 51 top-three finishes.
“I helped take care of him when he was at Chris Beaver’s barn,” Greene said. “He was a nice little colt and I liked spending as much time as I could with him.”
But one horse stands above all the rest for Greene: Carols Comet.
A bay son of Yankee Cruiser, Carols Comet spent most of his racing career in the Ron Potter stable — and made a lasting impression on a young Greene.
The two connected almost instantaneously.
“He is my riding horse now,” she said. “When I was little — my mom was at Ron Potter’s — there was just something about this horse that made me take notice. We were joined at the hip when he came to Ron’s barn. I was around 5 and Carols Comet was just a baby.”
They have been together ever since – and not just on trail rides.
The pair has, on occasion, put on a show for an approving audience.
Their connection has only deepened over the years. Together, they’ve earned multiple championships at the National Standardbred Show in New Jersey, an annual event showcasing the versatility of the breed.
Held in late summer in New Jersey since 1995, the show is presented jointly by the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization of New Jersey (SPHO-NJ), the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey (SBOA-NJ) and the USTA.
Standardbreds from across the country travel to compete in over 40 classes, open only to the breed.
“It has been amazing to do this with him,” Greene said. “It is nice to see how much appreciation there is out there for standardbreds. They deserve all that love.”
That affection shines through every time one of her horses hits the track.
“I’m just like my mom – I get rowdy, and I get loud,” Greene said. “People notice me and they can hear me.”
As for what could come next for Greene, the plan, as of now, is to stay in the horse world, albeit in the pursuit of a different role.
“At the end of the day, I will probably go to school to be an equine vet,” she said. “This summer, I got to talk more often to the vets here in Delaware and it really got me thinking about what career path I wanted to take. I learned more about the horses and having the chance to be around the vets gave me more insight into that world.”
That horses will play an integral part in every aspect of her life is a certainty.
“One hundred per cent,” Green said. “They have been in my life ever since I can remember and I know that won’t ever change. I have always loved them and I always will.”
Just like mom.
