Frank Yanoti Sr., a longtime Standardbred horse trainer and owner, passed away after a lengthy illness on Thursday, April 24, 2025 surrounded by his three children at the age of 82.
Yanoti spent his entire adult life in and around harness racing at Monticello Raceway and was a lifelong Sullivan County-area resident.
Born Jan. 18, 1943 in New York City to Rocco and Enes Yanoti, Frank Yanoti immersed himself into the harness racing world at an early age. He had been a member of the United States Trotting Association since 1966.
Yanoti amassed 870 training victories and $3.8 million in purse earnings over a career that spanned seven decades. An article in the Scrantonian noted that Yanoti was the Mighty M’s leading 1980 seasonal meet trainer “with 41 wins over the grueling summer session.”
The early-1980s article also noted that Yanoti and his owners were making the transition from racing claiming horses to buying yearlings and developing young, stakes-caliber stock.
One of his long-time owners, Frank Guadio, noted, “Frank really cared about his horses. He was stabled in the same ‘Barn D’ at Monticello since the 1960s.”
On the driving side Yanoti posted 543 wins and $1.17 million in earnings as a reinsman, primarily in the 1970s and 80s.
Frank was respected by his peers and well-liked by all those that have participated in harness racing around New York State. Despite health complications, Yanoti still went to the barn every day and had four wins this season and 66 victories over the last five years.
Mr. Yanoti served on the board of directors of the Monticello Harness Horsemen’s Association (MMHA) for nearly 13 years, and was a founding member of the association’s Horsemen’s Relief Fund as well as its current retirement plan.
Before the horse business, Yanoti studied journalism at St. John’s University and served in the U.S. Army.
“Frank was a budding journalist in his early years,” noted long-time MHHA executive secretary Dale Berenson.
“His father Rocky Yanoti (a former MHHA executive himself) tried valiantly to persuade Frank to pursue a career in journalism. But, as history shows, his fierce love of harness horse racing and its element won out over any other profession.”
Frank Yanoti Sr. married Paula Carpenter in 1969, and is survived by three children; his son Frank Yanoti Jr. (Vanessa), as well as his daughters Lisa Ann Yanoti and Tara Marie Altman (Eric), and five grandchildren: Mia, Ella, Julia, Bruce and Grace.
His family will hold a celebration of his life on Monday, April 28 at Harris Funeral Home in Liberty from 5 – 8 p.m. Burial Mass will be at St. Peter’s in Liberty on Tuesday, April 29 at 10 a.m.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Frank Yanoti.