Owners - when and how are they paid?

[PhantomOnTour]

Trainers and jockeys too, for that matter.

I own a horse and he wins a race on a Thursday...when do i get paid?
Does the track write ten checks a day or is it put into an account on a daily, weekly, monthly basis?
While i'm at it; when does someone have to pay for a claim they made?


I spent a day at FG with a distant relative this past week and i wasn't able to answer his simple question regarding the above. :blush:

[Saratoga_Mike]

Trainers and jockeys too, for that matter.

I own a horse and he wins a race on a Thursday...when do i get paid?
Does the track write ten checks a day or is it put into an account on a daily, weekly, monthly basis?
While i'm at it; when does someone have to pay for a claim they made?


I spent a day at FG with a distant relative this past week and i wasn't able to answer his simple question regarding the above. :blush:

If your horse wins, there's a hold on the purse monies until the drug tests come back (typically 7 days or so).

The trainer receives his 10% cut as part of his monthly bill - so the owner pays it to him/her.

The jock is paid out of the purses money - they are not required to collect from each owner.

If you're claiming a horse, the monies need to be in the racing office before the claim is made. If you put in a claim and there's isn't enough money in your account, the claim will be voided.

The horsemen's bookkeeper helps keep track of all of these activities.

[onefast99]

Trainers and jockeys too, for that matter.

I own a horse and he wins a race on a Thursday...when do i get paid?
Does the track write ten checks a day or is it put into an account on a daily, weekly, monthly basis?
While i'm at it; when does someone have to pay for a claim they made?


I spent a day at FG with a distant relative this past week and i wasn't able to answer his simple question regarding the above. :blush:
Some of the tracks pay slow and some pay fast. Mountaineer was always known for a 10 business day period before you got your purse monies, I'm happy to report they have been much better. Monmouth was at 3 to 4 days as well as Parx. The best is NYRA and Gulfstream Park you get your money in 3 days. Claiming monies must be in the account and cleared prior to you claiming a horse, if your horse gets claimed the money is available immediately after that race for your use, either to claim another horse that day or to get a check!

[PhantomOnTour]

Thanks for the info

[5k-claim]

If your horse wins, there's a hold on the purse monies until the drug tests come back (typically 7 days or so). Where is this?

[tbwinner]

Where is this?

Everywhere. The timeframe differs between jurisdictions but every winner (that I know of) is tested and purse money is escrowed for a certain amount of time. Note some super-tests don't come back for more than that period so they do go back and take purse money back for anything found illegal after the money is paid.

Never had money taken from me for a positive but did get money from going from 5th to 4th place (small difference) for the winner of that race testing positive for something 4 months later.

[pele polo]

Some of the tracks pay slow and some pay fast. Mountaineer was always known for a 10 business day period before you got your purse monies, I'm happy to report they have been much better. Monmouth was at 3 to 4 days as well as Parx. The best is NYRA and Gulfstream Park you get your money in 3 days. Claiming monies must be in the account and cleared prior to you claiming a horse, if your horse gets claimed the money is available immediately after that race for your use, either to claim another horse that day or to get a check!

Really? Why is that I was harassed by yourself for making similar statements?

What a joke.

[onefast99]

Really? Why is that I was harassed by yourself for making similar statements?

What a joke.
I've been on here for 5 plus years as an owner. I'm sorry if you are offended by that. :eek:

[LA Racing Lady]

As a former Horsemen's Bookkeeper, I will chime in on this thread.

Jockeys get paid once a week for all of their mounts and wins, the exception is a stakes win, that money is held (usually until the next week) until the test clears.

Claim money must be in verifiable funds before the horse can be claimed. This money is available right after the claim to be used to claim another horse. Owners must make a check request to get that money....checks are usually written only once a day.

Each owner has an account with the Horsemen's Bookkeeper and must deposit enough money to pay for the jockey's mount before their horse can run; this is the same account that gets the purse money distribution. Purse money is held on the horses that get tested (usually 1st and 2nd place) After that test clears, the money is available to withdraw or use for jockey mounts or for claiming. The rest of the purse distribution is available immediately. However, the owner cannot usually get that purse money the same day, as there is a check request policy with the bookkeeper. Usually you request one day and the check is ready the next day. Many owners never request any purse money, and get a check at the end of the meet. Some request checks once a month to pay their training bill.

[v j stauffer]

As a former Horsemen's Bookkeeper, I will chime in on this thread.

Jockeys get paid once a week for all of their mounts and wins, the exception is a stakes win, that money is held (usually until the next week) until the test clears.

Claim money must be in verifiable funds before the horse can be claimed. This money is available right after the claim to be used to claim another horse. Owners must make a check request to get that money....checks are usually written only once a day.

Each owner has an account with the Horsemen's Bookkeeper and must deposit enough money to pay for the jockey's mount before their horse can run; this is the same account that gets the purse money distribution. Purse money is held on the horses that get tested (usually 1st and 2nd place) After that test clears, the money is available to withdraw or use for jockey mounts or for claiming. The rest of the purse distribution is available immediately. However, the owner cannot usually get that purse money the same day, as there is a check request policy with the bookkeeper. Usually you request one day and the check is ready the next day. Many owners never request any purse money, and get a check at the end of the meet. Some request checks once a month to pay their training bill.

The only state I've seen hold up a jocks pay for a stakes win is Arkansas. They have "super testing" for graded stakes. It takes forever. I'm sure there are others. California pays the jocks right away. However, they must return the money if a horse comes up with a positive and there's a purse redistribution.

[v j stauffer]

As a former Horsemen's Bookkeeper, I will chime in on this thread.

Jockeys get paid once a week for all of their mounts and wins, the exception is a stakes win, that money is held (usually until the next week) until the test clears.

Claim money must be in verifiable funds before the horse can be claimed. This money is available right after the claim to be used to claim another horse. Owners must make a check request to get that money....checks are usually written only once a day.

Each owner has an account with the Horsemen's Bookkeeper and must deposit enough money to pay for the jockey's mount before their horse can run; this is the same account that gets the purse money distribution. Purse money is held on the horses that get tested (usually 1st and 2nd place) After that test clears, the money is available to withdraw or use for jockey mounts or for claiming. The rest of the purse distribution is available immediately. However, the owner cannot usually get that purse money the same day, as there is a check request policy with the bookkeeper. Usually you request one day and the check is ready the next day. Many owners never request any purse money, and get a check at the end of the meet. Some request checks once a month to pay their training bill.

Another thing that's a bit different from this post here in California is the testers. One steward each day is responsible for choosing and having the aide tag which horses go to the test barn. Of course all the winners automatically go. 1,2,3 finishers in a stakes worth $75,000 or more are also mandatory. The others are random. No less than 6 and usually no more than 9 randoms are chosen on a typical card. What makes a random? For me sometimes it's literally that. I'll put 8 numbers in a hat and send whichever I pull. Sometimes I'll pick one myself. Maybe a 3/5 that finishes a bad 5th. Maybe an 80-1 that finishes a flying 3rd. Whatever grabs at the time. Can you send more than one random for the same race? Sure and I've done it. My first year I sent 3 in a race. The LAST race, 3200 claimers, on a 12 race card on the fairs. Funny, the next morning when I stopped by the test barn to get my usual cup of coffee nobody said good morning. Still haven't figured out why?:blush:

[rastajenk]

Yeah, test barn people are like relief pitchers. They're cut from different cloth; likable, but easily fired up. You clearly dropped a brick on their feng shui. :)

[v j stauffer]

Yeah, test barn people are like relief pitchers. They're cut from different cloth; likable, but easily fired up. You clearly dropped a brick on their feng shui. :)

Rookie mistake on my part.