Is this a good racehorse?

Hey, I am considering buying this racehorse....are his bloodlines any good? I am not super familiar with TBs...I am an Arab and Peruvian person



Free 5-Cross Thoroughbred Pedigrees from equineline.com - Thoroughbred Pedigree now with Free Interactive Nicking Cat&dam_name=Cuties Daughter&foaling_year=2003&nicking_stats_indicator =Y

Hmm.. he's got some famous names, that's for sure.. but he's a 2003 model, and a gelding... do you have race records? By now he should have proven himself.. what are your plans?

Hi,

Well...i found from his records that he has had 21 starts and several wins and some seconds and thirds. I don't know the exact details,though.

What happened is he was left at a boarding stable and the poor guy had to be legally given to the barn owner because the owner wouldn't pay his board/feed bills. Anyways, apparently he wasn't a bad racer at all his owner just fell onto hard times. The barn owner offered him to me for $300.00 and has offered to help me get him into shape for the summer races.

I have always been very interested in getting into horse racing and this seems like a foot in the door. I wouldn't be expecting a lot and would do it more for experience.

But like I said....lol...other than seabiscuit I don't know a lot of tb lines.
So they look pretty good?

I have met him a couple times and he is a real cutie and sweet and I would love to give him a chance....

My first questions would be: how long has it been since he's raced? Does he have any injuries? I would strongly suggest getting a vet's opinion. 7 years old is quite old for a racer..

Oh...is it? Oh yes...i would definitely get him vet checked first. I have been told he is completely sound...but...ya know.... I am not sure how long it has been since he has been raced. I will be able to find more out about him tomorrow when I talk to the barn owner....thanks for your help!

You only have 1 good horse up close and that is Storm Cat. Storm Cat was good but had a reputation of throwing "difficult" offspring.

For a 7 year old gelding with little behind him....I would make a nice hunter out of him.

Im going to be honest here. If you're going to buy a horse to race, make sure you get yourself a good trainer. Its not all as easy as it sounds. You also have to get licensed which is going to cost you. I spent a few hundred to get licensed to own, train, and groom. Also if you decide you want to train it you do have to take tests and know all of the rules of racing, equip., and show you are able to train a horse a race mile. If you have not worked with TBs on the track before, I suggest getting your grooms license (if you're planning to train this horse) and go work for a good trainer. Let them show you the ins and outs of training a racehorse.

Also get up to date on your chemistry... I know this sounds horrible, but racing isnt what it used to be. You need to know about drugs. Especially high powered drugs like epogen. A horse who was previously on epogen, if taken off, will typically never race again, and you need to know the signs of what to look for for an epogen crash horse. You also need to know what you can and can't use, and what people are using that you're racing against. Its horrible, yes, but the racing world is more chemistry than training now. If you're not willing to do what you need to beat other horses, you wont make money. Most horses (there are exceptions- horses who do not do well with pre-racing) arent compatible with horses who are on drugs. Its just how it is.

Know what you're getting into. The racing industry is very shady. Its not all the glitz and glam people make it out to be. Unless you have a horse with real talent, real want-to win, and good drugs, you're not going to make anything. And its very expencive to keep a racehorse. Also 7 is not old for a racehorse, don't let age deter you anyway. I prefer an old racehorse to a young one, those are horses who know the game and know what they need to do to win.

I would buy him for $300 provided he passes a vet check, and retrain him as a riding horse.

Also, check into your local racing circuit. I don't know how much you care, but as an aged gelding that has a mediocre at best race record, around here the only thing you could enter him in is claiming races. It would probably be a nice profit if he ran in a $4,000 claimer and someone actually wanted him, but be aware it could happen.

I agree with everyone else though - 7 years old is getting up there for a racehorse, especially a racehorse who's been out of work. It can be done, I have a friend who owns racehorses and is racing a 7 year old in the aged claiming races, but he's been thoroughly vet checked and approved to do so.

Racing is expensive and starting off with just an aged claimer in your string isn't the best way to get your foot in the door. Between training costs and entry fees, I doubt you'll see any profit unless he miraculously makes a huge come around as an older gelding which is slim at best.

Go here and check out his complete race record.

Equibase Company - Thoroughbred Racing Information

Of his 21 race starts, he has won 1 time, placed 2nd 2 times, third 3 times, and earned $3663 in winnings. The last race he ran in was a $2500 claiming race and he came in 5th of 8 and won 88$. (I am not sure how to read the report-- it looks like he was claimed.)

IMO that is not really a successful racing career.

Here is only a moderately successful racing career--
Equibase Company - Thoroughbred Racing Information

32 starts with a 9-8-1 record, and earning $76,404. She raced until 7 and was retired sound to become a broodmare. I only would call her racing career moderately successful because she was not a stakes contender, she only ran fast enough to compete in races with moderate purses, and in her last few races she did run in a few claimers down around $4000. She did have a pretty nice win-place-show ratio to races run.

You could try racing with this gelding, but my opinion is that if he hasn't, at his age, run well enough to win more than one 1 of his 21 races, at the lower levels he is racing at, your odds of him winning enough to even pay for his training and feed are very slim. If he is sound and attractive, re-training him for a career as a hunter, jumper, or other type of riding horse to re-sell would be much better odds for at least breaking even or making a small profit.

Just to clarify-- I don't race horses and its not my "thing" so I am speaking from an outside perspective. I do own the mare whos record I posted-- I bought her as a proven broodmare and am deciding what Appaloosa stallion she will fit best with for producing all-around Appaloosa performers, with a possibility of producing an all-around showhorse that can also be competitive in the speed events at Appaloosa breed shows. (Barrels poles, keyhole, etc.)

When her previous owner decided to sell her, he was not successful in marketing her as a race horse broodmare, and he worked at the track, so that tells you something about how her record was being considered as far as her "success".