by Chris Lomon

With an eye for talent, an ear for good advice and a good head on his shoulders, Jesse Barnard finds himself on the fast track to success in the standardbred world.

While his family tree is rich with harness racing DNA, the teenager from Canonsburg, PA, has, in some ways, branched out on his own in a sport he knows well.

Barnard’s father, Robert, is a trainer. His mother, Tinamarie Gelly, who comes from the Canadian racing Turcotte family, trained pacers and trotters from 2002-07.

“My family has supported me so much,” said Jesse, who also noted trainers Chris Shaw, Ashley Brown, Dirk Simpson and Tim Twaddle as helpful figures in his career. “If I have any questions, I ask my mom and dad, who are happy to help me. My dad has a barn of horses, so I can watch and learn every day. I also ask my sister, Savannah, questions too. All three have been in the business much longer than me. I owe a lot of my success to them.”

While he might respectfully resist talking about himself too much, there is ample reason to believe the young horseman has the skill and will for a winning career.

Although his first race — the milestone dash was on June 15 at Circleville in Ohio — didn’t pan out as expected, Jesse didn’t hang his head in disappointment when he crossed the wire.

Instead, he saw the result as a teachable moment.

“My first drive, I planned on going to the front,” he said. “I got parked and ended up going back to last. I learned that the hard way.”

Undaunted, the young driver picked himself up, dusted himself off, and set his sights on the next opportunity.

After four starts, he teamed with a familiar face in Dig Deep, a bay pacing filly he bought as a 2-year-old in 2023.

On June 26, the two took to the Butler racetrack named after the city it calls home, located about 35 miles north of Pittsburgh.

This time, going to the front was not an option.

“There were seven horses in the race, and I was the trailer,” Jesse said. “I followed the rail horse, but it couldn’t keep up with the leader, so I moved around, and sat in second. At about the three-quarter pole, I popped out and we won.”

The victory played out in front of a vocal cheering section.

“My family was there with me,” Jesse said. “It was a nice moment to share with them.”

Less than 20 drives into his career, the young man who holds status as both a driver and trainer, is committed to improving his crafts daily.

The proof of his labor is found in the racing charts and on the training track.

“Dig Deep just won three in a row at the fairs,” Jesse said. “The first time, I sat the 2-hole and blazed by in the final quarter. The last two times she has won on the front. She is getting very brave, and I think she will be able to handle the step up in class at the fairs.”

The daughter of Heston Blue Chip doesn’t mind the spotlight in the least.

“She likes taking pictures,” Jesse said. “There are these two young girls — their mom works for [trainer] Bill Daugherty — and they love taking pictures with her. She will pose for the photos. She just loves that attention.”

And then there is Dine With Kings.

The bay son of Stay Hungry has afforded Jesse a welcome chance to expand his racing education.

“Dine With Kings, I bought him off Cory Stratton last year in October,” Jesse said. “He has been more of a project horse, but he is fun to figure out. It’s a big part of the game, trying to figure out these horses, but he gives it his all every time. He’s a solid horse.”

Jesse, who has posted a pair of training wins at The Meadows, views his work with his sophomores as assembling a puzzle.

“It’s always fun to develop young horses,” he said. “I like that side of the business. It’s fun to figure them out. There is always that ‘What if?’ factor when it comes to seeing if they will become a superstar or a solid horse. The whole point of me buying younger horses is to develop them the best that I can.

“Dine With Kings saw some stakes action at 2, but I never put that in my mind that it was my expectation. I just wanted him to be a solid competitor.”

Mission accomplished.

When he speaks of goals with his two horses and others, Jesse is a man with a plan.

“Short-term goals are to get Dig Deep to the fair finals and to get Dine With Kings going and developing him,” he said. “I am trying to build a bigger stable. I’m saving up money to buy some prospects to develop, and I plan on driving everything that I train so that I can get the full harness racing experience.”

And he will do it all sporting an on-track look that is an homage to his parents.

“My colors are based on my dad’s colors,” Jesse said. “My dad combined his idea with the Turcotte colors and then made his own version. I took his colors and modified the look a little bit.”

When he’s not in the barn, in the race bike or at the races, Jesse is at the gym, keeping his body in peak condition.

But he also has another area of interest, one that feeds his appetite for the world of gastronomy.

“I try to get in the gym as much as I can, but I am a big food lover too,” he said. “If there is a food convention, I am always there.”

As for his ideal dinner and dinner guests, Jesse opted for a favorite cuisine and a familiar trio.

“I love Mexican food, so I would like that, maybe burritos and other dishes,” he said. “I would choose my mom, dad and sister; good family and good food.”

Which makes perfect sense for someone who has set the table for a long and prosperous career in standardbred racing.