How much does it cost to keep a high class horse in training ?

[BeatTheChalk]

Two year old good prospects. 3 year olds who look like they can run and
be something. And older horses who can still run in top class events. Thanks

[lamboguy]

Two year old good prospects. 3 year olds who look like they can run and
be something. And older horses who can still run in top class events. Thanksit cost exactly the same as cheaper ones if you do a good job.

[Brogan]

it cost exactly the same as cheaper ones if you do a good job.
Yeah, what he said. :ThmbUp:

[BIG49010]

85 - 100 a day for good trainer that keeps them on poly at KEE until the knees close.

[lamboguy]

85 - 100 a day for good trainer that keeps them on poly at KEE until the knees close.who in gods name trains baby's in keeneland this time of year? in case there is a person that does, what king of a nut would pay $100 to train them on synthetic surface in the cold weather where you are going to miss more training days than you are going to train?

[sandpit]

who in gods name trains baby's in keeneland this time of year? in case there is a person that does, what king of a nut would pay $100 to train them on synthetic surface in the cold weather where you are going to miss more training days than you are going to train?

There are a lot of owners out there with more money than sense and are perfectly content to pay full training fees to have their horses walk the shedrow for a couple of months.

[BIG49010]

who in gods name trains baby's in keeneland this time of year? in case there is a person that does, what king of a nut would pay $100 to train them on synthetic surface in the cold weather where you are going to miss more training days than you are going to train?

Usually they start 1st of March with the babies, we have quite a few soon to be 3 yr old still at Keeneland.

[tbwinner]

Breaking a young horse is where you should start, to get that high class horse. If the person you send the yearling to isn't hands-on or "program trains" every single one you're going to lose out. Every horse is different and it takes a different schedule for him/her to "learn the racing ropes".

It will cost about $75-100/day once at the racetrack. Add between $300 and $2,000 per month for veterinary work, depending on the following factors 1) your vet, 2) your trainer, 3) amount of problems, etc. If you got a high class horse then you're talking stakes so add in transport costs and nomination fees so you're talking upwards of $50k.

My claimers cost around $25-30k on an annual basis to keep in training. And I don't hold on to them long.

[nijinski]

The more valuable they are the higher the insurance premium too.

[lamboguy]

The more valuable they are the higher the insurance premium too.years ago, my partner picked out and bought a soon to be champion at a keeneland sale. he brought the horse home to ocala, broke and trained him. the horse would up winning the hopeful and champagne stakes as a 2 year old but was runner up that year in the eclipse award back in 1981 to a great horse Deputy Minister. this was about the time i hooked up with Tony Everard.

Timely Writer wound up winning the Flamingo and Florida Derby as a 3 year and was the kentucky derby favorite. the owner's of the horse wound up insuring him for $6 million. the horse coliced and was lucky to live but missed the tripple crown series. he came back in the fall in new york and snapped his leg and had to be put down.

http://www.hanknuwer.com/timelywriter (http://www.hanknuwer.com/timelywriter)

[onefast99]

The more valuable they are the higher the insurance premium too.
You would be amazed at the number of people who do not insure their horses.

[JBmadera]

You would be amazed at the number of people who do not insure their horses.


We never did, costs were out of control as is. It truly is The Sport of Kings.

[onefast99]

We never did, costs were out of control as is. It truly is The Sport of Kings.
The agents make a lot of money on those policies $200k of insurance cost about $12k a year.

[onefast99]

Two year old good prospects. 3 year olds who look like they can run and
be something. And older horses who can still run in top class events. Thanks
I have always gone by the $3k a month cost per horse who is in training wnether it is a 2 year old or a 9 year old. This includes the day rate, vet bills and an additional $500-$600 in misc costs.

[forced89]

You would be amazed at the number of people who do not insure their horses.

I have had over 100 young horses over the years and have never insured any of them. Years ago I lost one while training at Kee and recently lost one at a training center in LA where I owned only 10% in a Partnership. IMO it only makes sense to insure if you have only 1 or 2 horses and paid top dollar for them.

[lamboguy]

I have had over 100 young horses over the years and have never insured any of them. Years ago I lost one while training at Kee and recently lost one at a training center in LA where I owned only 10% in a Partnership. IMO it only makes sense to insure if you have only 1 or 2 horses and paid top dollar for them.i agree with you, i have personally collectd twice, once with a horse that died on a van from the sale in keeneland to ocala, the other was insured on a fed x plane for a month coming from southern california to churchill downs, the horse broke down her tivia in a stake race there and had to be put down. i have never insured a horse longer than a month.

i mentioned Timely Writer, he was insured by half the group, half ownership was sold to Dr. Reed in New York. he never paid for the insurance and never collected on the tragedy.

[sjk]

I had around 70 horses and never insured any of them. I think there were 3 that I would have collected on. So the premium percent of value you pay would seem reasonble if my experience is typical.


I always figured it would be easy to buy insurance when the horse's value was at its peak but by the time you needed to collect on the insurance his value would be demonstrably less (the claiming price of his last race).

[nijinski]

years ago, my partner picked out and bought a soon to be champion at a keeneland sale. he brought the horse home to ocala, broke and trained him. the horse would up winning the hopeful and champagne stakes as a 2 year old but was runner up that year in the eclipse award back in 1981 to a great horse Deputy Minister. this was about the time i hooked up with Tony Everard.

Timely Writer wound up winning the Flamingo and Florida Derby as a 3 year and was the kentucky derby favorite. the owner's of the horse wound up insuring him for $6 million. the horse coliced and was lucky to live but missed the tripple crown series. he came back in the fall in new york and snapped his leg and had to be put down.

http://www.hanknuwer.com/timelywriter (http://www.hanknuwer.com/timelywriter)

Thank You for the wonderful article on Timely Writer . What a sad day that was and a tragic scene for those who were present. Terrible grief for the owners.
Timely Writer was buried on the infield at Belmont Park. He so deserved that honor!

[lamboguy]

Thank You for the wonderful article on Timely Writer . What a sad day that was and a tragic scene for those who were present. Terrible grief for the owners.
Timely Writer was buried on the infield at Belmont Park. He so deserved that honor!
you are more than welcome. if you ever come down to Ocala and want to watch the horses train, please let me know. i will set you up with a first class show one morning even if i am not there.

[KidChronic]

Don't forget the costs of pre-race supplements if you want to be a winner! RaceHorseMeds.com (http://racehorsemeds.com/) isn't cheap!!! You gotta add in at least a few hundred for that. :D:D:D

[thespaah]

it cost exactly the same as cheaper ones if you do a good job.
Yep..Horse feed, hay, straw, electrolytes, nutrition supplements, transportation costs per mile, etc are the same.

[thespaah]

Breaking a young horse is where you should start, to get that high class horse. If the person you send the yearling to isn't hands-on or "program trains" every single one you're going to lose out. Every horse is different and it takes a different schedule for him/her to "learn the racing ropes".

It will cost about $75-100/day once at the racetrack. Add between $300 and $2,000 per month for veterinary work, depending on the following factors 1) your vet, 2) your trainer, 3) amount of problems, etc. If you got a high class horse then you're talking stakes so add in transport costs and nomination fees so you're talking upwards of $50k.

My claimers cost around $25-30k on an annual basis to keep in training. And I don't hold on to them long.
Took the median between the two and came up with ( based on 12 months) $2291 per month.
Is that about right?

[Trips]

Took the median between the two and came up with ( based on 12 months) $2291 per month.
Is that about right?
The day rate alone is more than that at any top tier track.

[Fager Fan]

Took the median between the two and came up with ( based on 12 months) $2291 per month.
Is that about right?

Figure $50k a year average in a top class stable, and $30k a year at the lower end.

[onefast99]

Figure $50k a year average in a top class stable, and $30k a year at the lower end.
$50 a day for lower or secondary tracks $90 a day for the upper echelon on average, plan to pay a vet about $450 a month for pre race as well as the minimal vet care. If you have an on going medical issue easily plan to spend about $1300 a month until the issue or the horse is gone. Contessa cost me $100 a day in NY, Zook about $50 at Mtnr. Pompay about $85 at GP. Helmetag $60 at Parx. Add about $400 a month during the time you ship out to other tracks to compete. Once the horse is given off the winter months plan to spend $24 a day at a good farm.

[forced89]

Once the horse is given off the winter months plan to spend $24 a day at a good farm.

Time off from the track has multiple benefits from a profitability standpoint. Time at the farm is not only less costly but I have found I spend a whole lot less on vet bills when my horse returns to the track. The veterinary cost of keeping a horse going is not only eliminated during the turnout but is significantly less after the rejuvenated horse is returned to the trainer.

[thespaah]

The day rate alone is more than that at any top tier track.

I was referring solely to the care of the horse. Not the labor costs.

[thespaah]

$50 a day for lower or secondary tracks $90 a day for the upper echelon on average, plan to pay a vet about $450 a month for pre race as well as the minimal vet care. If you have an on going medical issue easily plan to spend about $1300 a month until the issue or the horse is gone. Contessa cost me $100 a day in NY, Zook about $50 at Mtnr. Pompay about $85 at GP. Helmetag $60 at Parx. Add about $400 a month during the time you ship out to other tracks to compete. Once the horse is given off the winter months plan to spend $24 a day at a good farm.
Does the daily farm fee include labor cost for feeding, watering, stall mucking and where applicable, turn out and bed down?
I worked on a farm on the Standardbred side . The farm( Showplace in Millstone, NJ) had its own people which some stables used for all of the above. I did my own work. All of the above tasks.
That was better than 30 years ago. .
Not sure how things work now.
ON a side note.....One thing that kind of confused me was that we took care of all our horse's needs. On the Thoroughbred side, there were grooms and there were hot walkers. I often wondered why two people were needed to do the job that one person could do. Call me stu...never mind.

[onefast99]

Does the daily farm fee include labor cost for feeding, watering, stall mucking and where applicable, turn out and bed down?
I worked on a farm on the Standardbred side . The farm( Showplace in Millstone, NJ) had its own people which some stables used for all of the above. I did my own work. All of the above tasks.
That was better than 30 years ago. .
Not sure how things work now.
ON a side note.....One thing that kind of confused me was that we took care of all our horse's needs. On the Thoroughbred side, there were grooms and there were hot walkers. I often wondered why two people were needed to do the job that one person could do. Call me stu...never mind.
Includes everything. The additional costs would be blistering or any other possible beneficial treatments while the horse is laid up. Jan Lazlo has a farm in NJ, Hunters Run, they charge $30 a day you won't find anyone better than Jan and her staff. Make sure the farm has plenty of open grass fields, some of the cheaper day rate farms have little or no grass!